ONE of the region's greatest lifeboat heroes has been immortalised by one of the country's most renowned sculptors.

Henry Freeman was one of the most celebrated lifeboatmen of the Victorian era and his larger-than-life bronze bust has been created by sculptor Richard Sefton.

It will be the centrepiece of the new RNLI lifeboat station in Whitby, North Yorkshire, which is due for completion at the end of next year. Until then, it will be kept in the town's lifeboats museum.

It was the idea of Whitby's current lifeboat coxswain, Mike Russell, who knows Mr Sefton and thought it would be a fitting tribute to one of Whitby's most famous sons.

"Henry Freeman is the lifeboatman everyone associates with Whitby and Richard's sculpture has really caught the spirit of the man," said Mr Russell.

Henry Freeman was a Whitby lifeboatman for more than 40 years. Made famous by the photos of Frank Sutcliffe, he was the sole survivor of the 1861 lifeboat disaster that claimed the lives of the other 12 men on the vessel. He was saved by an experimental cork life jacket he had been given to wear.

Mr Sefton has exhibited work all over the world, including the Kennedy Art Centre, in Washington, US, and the Kyoto Museum, in Japan.

He recently produced a sculpture of a cowboy on a horse for President George Bush.

"Many of my pieces depict animals or make-believe characters, so it has been wonderful to work on a real man like Henry Freeman, who was obviously a great character, as well as part of history," he said.

An appeal was launched by Whitby RNLI lifeboat station to raise £7,000 to pay for the bronze and the casting of the piece at a foundry.

Nearly all the money has been raised but any other donations to the Henry Freeman Fund can be sent to the Whitby Lifeboat Museum, Pier Road, Whitby.