RNLI Lymington volunteer crew in Black Friday rescue.

Whilst the shoppers in Lymington were enjoying the Black Friday sales, a call came in from the UK Coastguard that a man was stuck in the mud just east of Tanners Lane.

The Lymington RNLI volunteer crew were swift to respond, launching David Bradley, their Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, within five minutes, arriving on scene at 1.53pm. Three volunteer crew members, Kev Costa, Phil Baker and John Husband, were quickly put ashore to wade through the mud to reach the casualty.

The casualty, a gentleman from London, was hip deep in thick mud and stuck fast. The tide was fortunately at its lowest point and the crew, using their hands, dug the man out, laying him on their first aid stretcher, to assess his condition. He was found to be a little sick and caution was taken as was also a type 1 diabetic.

The casualty was carefully taken across the mud on the stretcher to be received by the awaiting fire brigade, a UK Coastguard rescue team, and ambulance teams for further assessment.

The Lymington crew returned to their lifeboat to make their way back to their station and awaiting shore crew. The RNLI Lifeboat David Bradley, needed an exceptional clean along with the very muddy crew, to be readied for further service, which was not the type of Black Friday the crew had expected.

RNLI media contacts

· Glenn Julius, RNLI Lymington LPO [email protected] on Mob 07802 403733

· Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]

· For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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