Cromer RNLI to feature in popular tv series Saving Lives at Sea

Cromer RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew feature in the BBC Two series Saving Lives at Sea due to be aired on 21 August.

Now in its tenth season, Saving Lives at Sea showcases the courage of RNLI lifesavers throughout the UK and Ireland as they respond to everything from sinking ships to tidal cut-offs and from kayakers in distress to people caught in rip currents, just seconds away from drowning.

The episode sees Curtis Johnson enter the water to save his beloved dog Rex and it then becomes a race against time to save two lives, alongside other rescue stories from around the coastlines of the UK and Ireland.

With more than 30 different lifeboat stations featured, alongside beach lifeguards, the latest 10-part series is packed full of heart-stopping rescues and emotional interviews from the lifesavers and those they rescue.

Tom Stops, one of the Cromer RNLI volunteer crew involved in the rescue featured said: ‘We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive from the public as we rely on their generosity to save lives at sea. The rescue of Curtis and Rex was very challenging and we are so thankful to Curtis for sharing his story so we can highlight the importance of being safe by the sea.

‘We were able to meet Curtis and Rex in person a few weeks after the rescue which was really special and meant we could personally thank him for the fundraising he carried out for the RNLI in the immediate aftermath of the rescue.’

‘The series showcases our work and allows viewers to get up close and see rescues through our eyes and those of the people we rescue. We are delighted to feature in such a long-running and respected series alongside our fellow lifesavers from across the RNLI’

In 2024, RNLI lifeboat crews around the UK and Ireland rescued 8,259 people, saving 352 lives, while the charity’s lifeguards aided 17,068 people and saved 85 lives on some of the UK’s busiest beaches

RNLI Media contacts

For more information please contact Clare Stagg, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]

Key facts about Cromer RNLI

The Cromer Lifeboat Station was established in 1804 and was not taken over by the Institution from the Norfolk Shipwreck Association until 1857. Since 1923 there have been two lifeboats at Cromer, and currently there is a D Class inshore boat and Tamar all-weather lifeboat. The outstanding figure in the history of Cromer is Henry George Blogg who became a member of the Cromer crew in 1894 at the age of 18. He was coxswain from 1909-1947. During his 53 years as a lifeboat crew member, the Cromer lifeboats had been on service 387 times and rescued 873 lives. His record is without equal in the history of the Institution. No lifeboat crew member has received so many decorations for gallantry.

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.