FEARS were growing yesterday (Thursday) over the fate of a lone Watchet sailor who disappeared from a yacht which ran aground on the Somerset coast last Monday.

David Moore, 43, left Watchet’s marina on Saturday afternoon in his blue 27-foot yacht Egoist without telling anyone his destination.

And the boat was found, apparently abandoned, on the sands at Berrow Point between Burnham-on-Sea and Brean Down on Monday morning. Lifeboatmen who went on board found no sign of the owner.

Avon and Somerset police have been leading a search with coastguards this week, but Mr Moore had not been found by the time the Free Press went to the printers.

They said they were treating the matter as a missing person inquiry and were concerned for the welfare of Mr Moore.