Newbiggin RNLI third environmental clean and beach safety success

Wednesday 4 March 2026

Volunteers from Newbiggin RNLI held their foreshore Spring Clean recently

The volunteer team start the clean up — Volunteers getting ready

The beach known as Lyne Sands south, is located two miles north of Newbiggin RNLI, an area popular area for walkers and beach users particularly as it is part of the Northumberland Coast Path. For years the beach was blighted with debris that created hazards for the users and in certain cases, their pets.

Northumberland County Council had completed a £5M scheme further north to clean the coastline and this volunteer driven project was seen as an opportunity to extend an earlier major coastal clean up.

The project date was selected in conjunction with the annual nesting site establishment and the clean up gives an improved environment for the wild birds and beach users. Around 20 volunteers took part in the event as the larger previous events had significantly reduced the beach debris.

The planning came together earlier in the month with over 30 volunteers taking part throughout a challenging blustery morning building on the successes of last year's clean up and delivering a safer environment for beach users as part of the RNLI Water Safety aims, and achieving a major clean up.

Along with RNLI volunteers and staff, others came from Northumberland County Council, Lynemouth Power, Ashington Litter Pickers, Local Councillors from Newbiggin and Lynemouth, Newbiggin Freeholders, Crows Nest Group, Lynemouth Community group, Newbiggin residents, Newbiggin Golf Club and the Space for Shorebirds team.

Over 50 bags of rubbish were removed from the beach along with numerous bulky items including wagon tyres, conveyor belting, plastic pipes and sheeting, carpets and abandoned fishing ropes and pots which equated to 1.5 tons of debris.

Thanks in particular to Newbiggin Golf Club who provided transport to remove the debris at various deposition points We are also grateful for the support of Lynemouth Power who not only disposed of the debris but provided refreshments for the volunteers. Plans are in hand for another clean up morning later in the year.

Notes to editors

Newbiggin RNLI is based at Sandridge, Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland. The station was established in 1851 and currently operates an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Richard Wake Burdon.

RNLI Media contacts

For more information please telephone Richard Martin, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Newbiggin on 07980 010544 or [email protected], Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, North and East on 07824 518641 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

If you would like to find out more about Newbiggin lifeboat station, its volunteers and its heritage then please look at the local website.

A selection of debris is sorted for removal — Debris sorting

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.

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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.

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Newbiggin RNLI third environmental clean and beach safety success

Key facts about the RNLI

Learn more about the RNLI

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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