|PIC1|A ferry that ran aground in stormy weather in the Irish Sea was abandoned on Friday as all remaining crew were air-lifted to safety, coastguards said.

The Riverdance was hit by a freak wave 8 miles (13 km) off the northwestern coast of England on Thursday evening and its cargo shifted in high winds, causing a steep list.

All passengers and non-essential crew were airlifted to safety overnight, leaving just nine crew members onboard to try to prevent the ship from capsizing. But with no signs of the weather abating, those nine were also rescued.

"The decision was taken to pull remaining crew from the vessel," the coastguard said in a statement. "There continue to be very strong winds on the scene."

Efforts to salvage the ship, stricken about 200 metres from the foreshore, were expected to begin later on Friday.

The ship, a roll-on-roll-off cargo and passenger vessel operated by Seatruck Ferries, ran aground next to the seaside resort of Blackpool shortly before midnight.

There were 15 Polish and four British crew on board and four passengers. There were no reports of injuries, and no reports of any oil pollution from the vessel.

A Royal Airforce spokesman said the rescue conditions had been "the worst you could ever think it could be, and then some more".

Winds of Storm Force 10 were reported, meaning up to 60 mph, with gusts taking the figure higher, and waves of more than 20 feet (7 metres).

The Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland is notoriously rough in stormy weather.

It was not immediately known what freight the boat was carrying.

The coastguard statement said Riverdance was Bahamas registered and of 6,041 gross tonnage.