STRANDED Hampshire sailor John Fildes was at the centre of a dramatic one-in-a-million rescue in the Caribbean - by his neighbour.

The 32-year-old had put out a Mayday call after he lost his sails in storms and went two days without food.

And he couldn't believe it when the man who came to his aid turned out to be the captain of a cruise ship, who lives just round the corner in Warsash.

John was plucked from his stricken yacht in rough seas off Puerto Rico by the superliner Crown Princess, which had picked up his distress signal.

Captain of the 113,000-ton ship Alistair Clark said: "I was glad to be in a position to lend assistance, especially to someone who lives round the corner."

See tonight's Daily Echo for the full story.