Southwold RNLI's relief lifeboat towed a stricken yacht to safety last night - just two days after arriving in town.
The RNLI lifeboat, Duckhams 2001, is covering the north Suffolk coast while the Leslie Tranmer is away in Cowes undergoing a refit.
At 5pm yesterday, the Southwold crew received a call that the pleasure yacht, Bolduster, was struggling to get into the harbour due to engine trouble. As well as being the first rescue by Duckhams 2001, it was the first shout for new crewmember Joe Barnes.
Lifeboat operations manager John Huggins said: 'We are always pleased to help seafarers in any form of distress.
Twenty-one-year-old Mr Barnes, a local taxi driver, is the latest addition to Southwold's 19-strong volunteer crew.
'Although this was a relatively straightforward shout with nobody injured, it still provides valuable experience, especially for a new crew member such as Joe.'
Leslie Tranmer is expected to return to Southwold in two to three months, during which time Duckhams 2001 will fill in.
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