Bank Holiday monday shout for Appledore RNLI

The shout was as a result of a member of the public alerting Falmouth Coastguard that there was a bicycle on the shore below the cliffs at Abbotsham. The local coastguards and Appledore lifeboat crew searched around the cliffs and along the coast for a person who may have gone over the cliffs on the bike, but no one was found. One of the lifeboat crew swam ashore to investigate the bike and it appeared that it may have been dumped there a couple of days before hand. The bike was then hidden from view and made safe. The local coastguards and lifeboat crew were stood down, Appledore Lifeboat returning to station around ten in the evening.

The moral is, if you want to dispose of an old bike, please take it to the recycling centre which is now open. Please do not throw it over a cliff, resulting in a multiagency search and rescue.

If you think someone may be in danger on the coast or the water please phone 999 and ask for the Coastguard. We would much prefer to be called out to a false alarm with good intent, than not to be called when someone’s life may be in danger.

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.