
Bucket loads of fun at Hunstanton RNLI sandcastle showdown
Young builders took to the beach on 7 August for a Norfolk lifeboat station's sandcastle competition.
When the signal came to start, teams had just 45 minutes to show off their skills.
This year's contenders included Olympic-themed entries, along with sea creatures and RNLI-inspired creations.
Judges from the Hunstanton and West Norfolk Lifeboat Guild, which organised the event, admitted they were up against it.
'It's a tough call,' one confided as buckets and spades set to work under stormy skies. 'It's going to be very close.'
Back at the boathouse, weather experts from the station visits team reckoned the rain might just hold off.
Talking of stormy, station mascot Stormy Stan was greeted with cheers after he hitched a ride on the beach ice cream man's vintage Land Rover to help hand out the prizes.
Winners in the aged two to seven and aged eight and above categories, along with second and third-placed were awarded vouchers to spend at the station's souvenir shop.
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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