Saving Gulls At Sea For Newhaven RNLI!

On Monday evening, Helm Chris Glasspool led crew members Steve Hopson, Charly Pearce and Will Rowell for a training session in calm seas, near the western end of the breakwater at Newhaven. Practising their boat handling skills, they planned to deposit crew member Steve onto the rocks to act as a casualty in a mock up of a rescue of someone trapped on a rocky shore.

After dropping Steve off, the crew on the boat noticed from a distance that Steve was distracted and looking down at something in the rocks. Steve shouted to the crew, who moved the boat towards him and discovered they were now involved in a real rescue, though of a different species!

Steve had noticed something between the rocks: a baby seagull trapped with a hook and line wrapped round it. Another baby gull was next to it, which had sadly died. Acting quickly and calmly, the crew gently cut the bird free before bringing it aboard the lifeboat. Chris radioed Solent Coastguard and asked them to contact East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service, who arranged to meet the crew back at the lifeboat station to provide assistance.

On returning to the station, Charly comforted the bird while the rest of the crew carried out post recovery checks and got the ILB ready for its next service. Will (pictured with the baby seagull) also had a little cuddle, before the bird was collected by WRAS, who intend to release the gull back in Newhaven in the coming days once treated for its injuries.

Crew member Steve Hopson said, 'The herring gulls are part of the community around Newhaven Harbour, always looking for a feed and divebombing for fish. It was sad to find these two birds caught up in a hook and line, but I'm glad we were able to save the life of one of them. We were in the right place at the right time, and proud to help a living creature fly another day.'

In the past 16 years, the RNLI has recorded a total of 2,392 animals rescued by the charity. As an organisation, the RNLI also works to educate the public about coastal and water safety, including the risks related to wildlife and animals at the coast.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Stella Sims, Newhaven RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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.