West Dorset: Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers have busiest year on record (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

West Dorset: Lyme Regis RNLI volunteers have busiest year on record

11:00am Thursday 4th February 2010

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Lyme Regis RNLI has issued a new safety warning as the charity reveals 2009 was its busiest year on record in the South West.

New figures show the RNLI’s 35 lifeboat stations in the region launched a total of 1,648 times during 2009, rescuing 1,687 people.

RNLI lifeguards also patrolled more than 90 beaches in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, including Lyme Regis, dealing with 10,253 incidents – the highest number since the service began.

At Lyme Regis, the volunteer lifeboat crew saved six lives and helped 45 people to safety.

The station’s deputy launching authority Trevor Morgan said: “We were called out every month from January to November in 2009, making it one of our busiest spells for many years.

“The lifeboat crews covered a very wide area of Lyme Bay and on one occasion travelled 20 miles to the south to assist a sailing boat.”

Mr Morgan is urging all sea users to make safety a priority. He said: “On the whole most people act responsibly when they go to sea, but we cannot stress enough the need to take proper safety precautions.”

The public has recently been responding to the charity’s own call for help by supporting RNLI SOS Day – in Lyme, a quiz was held at the Nag’s Head and a fundraising stall was set up outside the lifeboat shop at the Cobb.

Adrian Carey, the RNLI divisional inspector for the South West said by raising funds, the public will be helping the RNLI go on saving lives in what the charity predicts will be the most difficult year since the recession began.

He said: “The rising number of incidents in the South West illustrates the demands being put on our volunteer lifeboat crews, especially during the summer season. With people choosing to holiday at home during this recession our inshore lifeboats in particular, have got increasingly busy.

“But this means added cost to our charity and if economic trends continue, we are in for another busy year in 2010 so will need yet more financial help.”

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