Anonymous donor splashes out with legacy for lifeboat

A legacy from a local woman is letting Humber Rescue start the process of ordering a new boat to deal with emergency calls on the Humber Estuary.

Coxswain Dave Roberts said the new vessel, which will cost about 65,000, will be built locally.

The Hornsea Rescue charity has been running the boat Charity Venture since 1996 and although new engines were fitted in 2003, a replacement is now needed.

Mr Roberts said the donation was the final piece in the jigsaw, adding: "We knew when we bought the boat 14 years ago that it had a lifespan of about 15 years and we have been saving slowly over the years. Raising money has been a struggle because of the economic climate."

The rescuers want to keep the Charity Venture for training and are looking to knock out the back wall of their boathouse, adding another 4m of space, so they can store both vessels.

One of the busiest inshore lifeboats in Yorkshire, the volunteer service has been called out 114 times this year so far – putting it to be on course to be a record year – to rescue boats stranded in the River Humber and to stand by when people threaten to throw themselves off local bridges.

As well as dealing with strandings – one yacht was left high and dry for two weeks after running aground – the crew also helps narrowboats that have run into difficulties after venturing onto the powerful river from inland waterways.

Fund-raisers who packed bags for shoppers at the Co-op on Halloween say they collected 842.41.