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THEIR valiant, selfless crews have turned out in both fair weather and towering seas to save 550 lives over 150 years.

 

Now Llandudno RNLI’s 30-strong crew are celebrating the anniversary of a branch founded in 1861.

 

Spokesman Alan Sharp said: “We are very proud to have reached this milestone.”

 

This summer, there will be a Lifeboat Day held on Llandudno Promenade, the scene of so many rescues.

 

One of the more famous missions was that of four teenagers saved in one rescue by Llandudno’s inshore lifeboat crew.

 

Mr Sharp said: “Many people have been rescued after being marooned on the offshore sandbanks at Llandudno’s West Shore through being cut off by the tide.

 

“At 9.20pm one June evening, four teenagers were spotted on the sandbanks. A high spring tide had come in so quickly they had been unable to get back ashore. When the inshore lifeboat got to them all four were up to their chests in the still rapidly rising water. A few minutes later, and it might well have been too late.”

 

In another incident, the crew’s searchlight was vital. Mr Sharp said: “The inshore lifeboat was called out at dusk to go to the northern tip of the Great Orme, where a kayaker had come ashore, tried to climb the cliffs, and became stuck half-way up.

 

“The RAF Rescue Sea King helicopter from Valley was also called out, and in the by now dark conditions the RNLI crew illuminated the cliff with their searchlight from the sea below.

 

“The helicopter crew was able to successfully winch the kayaker to the top of the cliff where he was landed unharmed into the care of coastguards.”

 

On another mission, an RNLI crewman donned a Typhoon suit to untangle ropes from a stricken yacht’s propeller 35 miles north of Great Orme’s Head.

 

He had been transferred from the ‘Andy Pearce’ to help the yacht Odyssey at 3pm one day.

 

Mr Sharp said: “He spent a long period hanging over the craft’s stern endeavouring to cut through the ropes fouling the rudder and propeller. All the time he was being dunked in the sea as the boat plunged up and down in the swell. The lifeboat returned to Llandudno at 7am the next morning after some 16 hours at sea.”

 

Robin Holden, coxswain at the Lloyd Street station, said: “We do feel nervous but anxiety keeps you alive. We have ultimate confidence in our equipment and training.”

LLANDUDNO

LIFEBOAT

150TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Donation

 

The Friendship and Fellowship Lodge of freemasons from the Manchester are donated £500.00 to Llandudno Lifeboat on a recent weekend visit to the town.  Very many thanks to everyone who contributed to the raising of these funds.

 

150TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

Presentation