Plymouth lifeboats called out to assist men cut off by the tide

Reports came in of two men cut off by the tide on a particularly cold February night at Jennycliff Bay. One man swam ashore and raised the alarm whilst the other was stranded on a ledge and required assistance from the volunteer crew of the inshore lifeboat to return him to the shore. The all-weather lifeboat stood by in case the casualty needed medical attention but the situation was under control and apart from the men being cold no injuries were sustained.

RNLI Mechanic Les Butler says: 'The men were very lucky that one of them was able to raise the alarm as it was extremely cold and dark. Tide times and heights vary throughout the month and can easily catch you out if you haven’t checked them. To avoid getting cut off by the tide we would advise people to check the tide tables before they head out. It's important to be aware of your surroundings and the tide's direction when you are out as the tide can come in surprisingly quickly.'

Both lifeboats and volunteer crew returned to the station ready for service.

Notes to editors

• Plymouth RNLI lifeboat has been operating since 1862. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.rnli.org.uk/plymouth

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Karen Butler, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07876546612 or [email protected]

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, 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.