THE country's most sophisticated lifeboat has been put into operation off the North-East sea for the first time.
The £86,100 Atlantic 75 lifeboat Leicester Challenge II has been based at Redcar, east Cleveland, for just over a week when Redcar Coastwatch reported a kite-boarder who was in distress three quarters of a mile from the shore in Coatham Bay.
The lifeboat was launched six minutes later and quickly found the man who was in the water and unable to climb out onto his board. He and his board were taken aboard the lifeboat and the 34-year-old man from East Barnby, near Whitby, was returned to the shore cold but uninjured.
It was the 53rd time this year the Redcar lifeboat has been called out, which is the highest annual total in the station's history.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article