RNLI volunteers collecting at a seaside supermarket met a shopper who was rescued by their lifeboat.
Customers dug deep for the charity that saves lives at sea when the Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Guild collected at the Tesco superstore in Hunstanton on Saturday 28 March.
They included local Nick Dighton, 68, who got into difficulty while he was kite surfing off the town's beach.
'I think you're a good cause, absolutely,' he said. 'You fulfil such a valuable function.
'I had a mishap out at sea a couple of years ago with my foil. I tried to signal for help, then decided no-one would see me so I swam for it and eventually made it to somewhere near the pier.
'I could just touch bottom but I was struggling, I was neck deep in water.
'Then I heard a voice behind me say: 'Are you alright mate..?
'I turned around and it was the lifeboat, so someone must have seen me and called them out after all.
'They said would you like a lift, then they took me back to South Beach where the coastguards were waiting to check I was OK.'
Volunteers from the guild, which supports the work of the nearby lifeboat station had a busy day on their hands, as visitors packed the town while the sun did its best to get out for the start of the Easter holidays.
Stormy Stan was paged to assist and was soon pressed into action for 'Stanfies' while he was handing out flags in the foyer of the store.
Collections play a vital role in supporting the work of the RNLI, which is entirely funded by the kindness of its supporters.
Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Guild chair Derek Greening said: 'We'd like to thank the staff at Tesco for allowing us to collect again.
'We're fortunate to enjoy fantastic support from businesses large and small in and around our community and their customers, which all helps to fund the lifesaving work we do.
'Our crew couldn't save lives without their generosity. Tesco does say 'every little helps', but today's been another big help for us, which we're so grateful to the store and all its customers and staff for.'
Proceeds from the day are still being counted.
Notes to editors
Volunteers at Hunstanton RNLI operate the inshore lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk and search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer from their base on Sea Lane.
They cover The Wash, a coastal estuary of more than 200 square miles fed by four main rivers along with parts of the North Norfolk coast.
Crew members at the busy station are on call 24/7, 365 days a year; while their work is supported by its visits, shop and outreach teams, along with the Hunstanton and West Norfolk RNLI Lifeboat Guild which raises funds for the charity that saves lives at sea.
RNLI media contacts
For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219, Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641, or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.
