Brothers rescued by Cullercoats RNLI complete Mayday Miles fundraising challenge
Euan and Andrew Gray have turned a terrifying experience into an opportunity to educate others about the dangers of the sea and raise vital funds for the RNLI with their own take on the RNLI’s Mayday Mile challenge.
Whilst surfing at Longsands beach, Tynemouth in May 2025, the brothers became caught in a rip current, which pulled them out to sea and prevented them getting back to shore. Relying on the RNLI’s Float to Live advice, Euan remained safe until he was rescued by Cullercoats’ Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Daddy’s Girl and Andrew was able to make it safely back to the beach.
To show their appreciation, the brothers committed to running half a marathon every day throughout May, clocking up more than 400 miles each by the end of the month! Surpassing their fundraising target, they had raised over £8000 as of the end of May and were joined by members of the Cullercoats crew for their final run, including those who were involved in their rescue.
Crew member Miles Brown said, “it’s great to be able to meet people we’ve rescued and what they’ve achieved since then is just fantastic”.
The RNLI’s national Float to Live campaign launched earlier in May, with Euan and Andrew’s story leading this, aimed at educating others about how quickly anyone can get into difficulty in the water and what to do if this happens.
The RNLI’s Float to Live advice is to:
Tilt your head back with your ears submerged; relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat; remember, it's OK if your legs sink as we all float differently. Once calm, call for help. If you see anyone else in distress in or on the water, call 999 and ask for the coastguard.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Sarah Whitelaw, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]
Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]
Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [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.