A TEIGNMOUTH-registered crabber was lucky not to be wrecked when it broke free of its moorings in hurricane force winds in the Shetlands.

The 80ft long crabber Amadeus was shown on national television news being battered by gusts of more than 100mph in Scalloway harbour early on Friday.

A group of sea cadets raised the alarm around 2am when they saw the boat breaking onto a pier.

Lerwick coastguard rescue team joined harbour staff helping the six crewmen re-secure the vessel at a more sheltered berth.

According to The Shetland News, the task was made all the more difficult because the ropes on board were not strong enough to hold the boat in such strong winds, and new ropes had to be found.

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