Support pours in to keep Sea Palling lifeboat service buoyant

Pledges of support have flowed in for an independent lifeboat after it issued an urgent funding appeal.

Sea Palling Lifeboat on the north Norfolk coast has received numerous donations from the public and local businesses following its SOS plea in the EDP and online last week.

Coxswain Craig Spence made the call for financial assistance for the service which needs to raise £20,000 a year to stay afloat.

Mr Spence said: 'We were in desperate need of funding but there has been a very positive response to the appeal with donations from the public and businesses.

'We are open to work with any streams of funding and looking at possible sponsorship.

'There has not just been offers of financial support, we have been given raffle prizes for our lifeboat day on August 21 and a company in Norwich has pledged to donate electrical fittings for the station.

'I would like to thank everyone for their support.'

The crew had been given a launch vehicle by local businessmen Mervyn Lambert and Tom Clayton, but this had to be adapted at the cost of £8,000.

Modifications to the lifeboat trailer cost a further £2,000.

The funding appeal came just after the crew was involved in a major incident as two swimmers got into trouble in a rip tide at Sea Palling. Leszek Puchala, 52, was pulled unconscious from the waves and could not be revived, while a second man, in his 20s, was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for treatment.

To pledge support to the Sea Palling Lifeboat, you can donate by texting PVRS01 followed by a donation amount (£2, £5, £10 etc) to 70070.