THE owner of a popular seaside restaurant was recovering in hospital yesterday after a horrific powerboat accident in Swanpool bay.

Roger Fergus, who owns the Three Mackerel restaurant at Swanpool, suffered severe injuries to both legs after they became caught in the moving propellers as he prepared to climb aboard the boat on Friday.

Pete Lochrie, proprietor of Swanpool Beach, beach caf and car park, is a close family friend and used his own boat to ferry paramedics to the 30ft powerboat that was stationary in the bay.

Mr Lochrie said: "We all know each other very well. Ginny (Mr Fergus' daughter) rang me and said he'd had an accident. She asked, 'Can we get the safety boat out and get out to him?' We immediately launched the safety boat, went down the water's edge and I said, 'Let me go and see what's happening first of all'. I went out and he was sitting on the stern of the vessel and he was quite comfortable - very calm and very tranquil."

(Full story in this week's Packet)