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Londoners soaking up the spring sunshine were given a shock on Sunday as a million-pound yacht crashed into a bridge on the River Thames.

Crowds looked on as the Princess 57 motor yacht careered towards Richmond Bridge and got stuck due to rising water levels.

Sun worshipers in west London were forced to avoid flood waters as the Thames burst its banks earlier in the day, despite temperatures reaching highs of 19C.

Water levels rose rapidly over the course of a couple of hours on Sunday after, according to witnesses.

“We’d been having lunch in town and when we came back to the river it had risen by about 7ft in an hour and a half,” said Sophie Webster from Balham.

“I’m not sure if it happens very often, but it’s pretty crazy. Everyone’s just walking around trying not to get wet,” she added.

The Princess 57 was thought to have been dragged by strong currents towards the bridge, with the high water levels causing it to get lodged.