A record-breaking sailor, aiming to become the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain, was dramatically rescued off Strumble Head on Friday night.

The alarm was raised after quadriplegic yachtswoman Hilary Lister failed to arrive in Fishguard at the expected time, after setting off from Milford Haven in the afternoon.

With rapidly deteriorating weather conditions and no radio contact from Ms Lister's boat, Fishguard all weather lifeboat was launched.

Peter Kedward, Fishguard press officer at said the sea state had become very demanding with force five winds and the tide turning.

"Eventually the Coastguard managed to make radio contact and established that she was two miles north of Strumble Head and under tow by her support boat," said Mr Kedward.

"Conditions were becoming very difficult and the tide had turned against her."

In the early hours of Saturday morning Hilary was safely transferred to the RNLI inshore lifeboat in the calmer waters of Fishguard harbour and an ambulance took the 37-year-old to Withybush Hospital where she spent two hours 'being warmed up'.

Spokesman for Hilary Lister, Paul Taroni, said the incident had "been blown out of all proportion".

He confirmed Hilary was completely fine following the rescue and would continuing with her Round Britain Dream attempt.

Mr Taroni said, weather permitting, Hilary hoped to be back on the water by the end of the week following the completion of maintenance work on the boat.

Hilary, who became wheelchair-bound in her teens after being diagnosed with a degenerative disease, was forced to postpone the completion of the record-breaking attempt last year due to poor weather conditions and recommenced her round Britain bid last month.

The first ever-disabled sailor to cross the English Channel and sail around the Isle of Wight, single-handed, Hilary uses the 'sip and puff' system to control the six-metre keelboat and said that discovering sailing had given her a sense of freedom.

"It is difficult to describe but it's the freedom on the water, that's why I do it," she told the Western Telegraph. "It gives me the time to be on my own."

Not only aiming to break records, Hilary is also hoping to raise money for her charity Hilary Dream Trust which exists to help disabled and disadvantaged adults to fulfil their own sailing dreams.

"We are there to help disadvantaged and disabled young adults that want to do something more that sail around their local lake, that want to achieve something a little bit special," she said.

Hilary hopes to set sail from Fishguard by the end of the week to complete the next stage of her remaining 2000-mile journey.

If you would like to follow Hilary's progress or make a donation to her charity you can log onto her website www.hilarylister.com.