ORGANISERS are celebrating after this year’s Lifeboat Week raised a total of £27,000 for the RNLI.

Members of the Lyme Regis and Charmouth RNLI Guild, who organise the week with lifeboat crew volunteers, were given the final fundraising total by treasurer Brian Cursley at the group’s monthly meeting.

Chairman of the guild, Irene Roper, was pleased with the “remarkable” amount of money raised, particularly as organisers were unable to book the iconic Red Arrows, which usually perform at the annual fundraiser.

She said: “This is quite a remarkable figure, and a testament to all those volunteers who help us organise seven days of family activities.

“The weather was pretty kind to us and once again visitors and residents of the town were incredibly generous to our life-saving charity. It is also heartening when people come up to us during the week to thank us for the effort we put in to make the week a success.

“The final net sum is particularly tremendous when you consider we were unable to afford the Red Arrows or the Falcons parachute display team.”

Organisers learnt that due of the transition of search and rescue services from the RAF to a civilian contractor, display charges now apply, and the RNLI cannot afford the cost.

The Red Arrows did perform over the town after local residents stepped in to secure the display, but the performance did not take place during Lifeboat Week.

Without the regular Red Arrows display during this year's charity week in July, visitors and locals were able to enjoy a host of other events.

The firefighters won the harbour bathtub race for the sixth straight year. The town's lifeboat, the Spirit of Loch Fyne, as well as the Shannon-class lifeboat based at Exmouth along with the coastguard helicopter staged a display and winching exercise.

Members of the RNLI guild are already starting to plan next year’s Lifeboat Week, which will take place from July 22 to July 29, 2017.