Lifeboat man keeps it in the family with 20-year award

Christopher Brompton, 37, is to be awarded the RNLI’s 20-year service badge, the same award his father Andy received 13 years ago.

And with Christopher’s seven-year-old son Harrison also wanting to follow his father into the service, the family could one day boast three generations of lifesavers.

Christopher, who was part of the crew that recently saved two “tombstoners” in rough seas near Bridlington Harbour, is the second mechanic on the offshore boat Marine Engineer, and helmsman on the inshore boat Windsor Spirit.

He has had eventful career, and one painful incident left him in traction for four weeks in Scarborough Hospital after dislocating his hip.

He said: “There have been so many but the first one that comes to mind was when we had 14 calls for the inshore boat in one day and we went from one incident to another 11 times without going back to beach.

“On another occasion when I was on the crew with my dad and Andy Day, after a combination of big tides and high winds which gusted to Force 10, the inshore lifeboat was called to a yacht which needed help getting into the harbour due to the conditions. It really blew but we got the yacht to safety.”

Andy Brompton, who is now part of the station management team, said: “I am very proud of him. I think he is doing a better job than I did. It’s good to know he’s of the same mind that it’s important to carry on this sort of work.”