The skipper of a fishing vessel which was engulfed in fire in horrendous weather conditions off the Orkney coast has spoken of the dramatic rescue.

Ellis Fullerton said he and his four crew were forced to shelter in the bow of the Be Ready trawler as flames ripped along the wooden deck.

Coastguards filmed the heart-stopping rescue which saw the men winched to safety with just moments to spare.

"There was nowhere else to go," said Mr Ellis.

He added: "The wheelhouse was nearly burned. At that point we just took shelter in the bow. The fire was spreading fast.

"We know we are extremely lucky to be alive."

The emergency services received a Mayday call at 0200GMT from the fishing vessel.

Force eight winds

She reported that she was on fire some 30 miles north-west of the Orkneys.

Force eight winds prevented the Kirkwall lifeboat and other fishing boats in the area from being able to draw alongside the stricken ship.

The treacherous conditions meant the Kirkwall lifeboat could not get near the boat and was damaged during the rescue bid.

Two attempts to attach a line from a Coastguard rescue helicopter also failed because of the high winds and eventually the five men - all wearing life-jackets - swam through freezing seas into a life-raft launched from another boat.

Life-rafts destroyed

Its own life-rafts had been destroyed by the fire, which was threatening their refuge in the bow by the time they abandoned ships.

Ian Pentland, the watch manager at Pentland Coastguard, said the five fishermen retreated away from the out-of-control fire and were directed by radio to abandon ship.

The crew, suffering smoke inhalation, were taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick.

They have all now been released.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been called in to examine the cause of the blaze.