THE region's latest £75,000 lifeboat, paid for by public donations, made a splash yesterday at an event in Hartlepool when it took to the sea.
More than 200 people turned up to see the boat delivered to Hartlepool lifeboat station.
Radio Cleveland, which used the appeal to raise money for a new lifeboat as its millennium project, broadcast live from the event.
The boat is to be named the BBC Radio Cleveland.
The event was postponed from Wednesday because of the funeral of 61-year-old lifeboat fundraiser Ronnie Latcham, who died of cancer last weekend.
The fundraising scheme was launched last March on the 175th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and it took just ten months for the money for the boat to be raised.
The new Atlantic 75 lifeboat is slightly bigger than her predecessor and is equipped with the latest modern technology.
Lifeboats have been part of Hartlepool life since 1803, and the town became a member of the RNLI when the organisation was founded in 1824.
Mike Craddy, from Hartlepool lifeboat station, said he was very pleased and surprised at the way people took the appeal to their hearts.
Tim Ellingford, senior journalist at Radio Cleveland said the event went really well.
He said: "We were really pleased with the support from our listeners and the lifeboat crew who have been behind this project since we first suggested it.
"We didn't think we would raise all the money within the year, but we did it.
"The listeners just got behind it, but being on the coast it is something that affects most of us," he said.
l Lifeboat stations along the North Yorkshire coast will be holding their annual flag days this weekend.
Fundraising days are taking place at Staithes, Runswick, Whitby, Scarborough and Filey to raise awareness of the lifeboats, and to raise much- needed funds.
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