Tributes have been paid to Alfred (Mabby) Brown who has died at the age of 92 after a lifetime's association with Caister Lifeboat.

Mr Brown, of Bultitude Loke, Caister, served on the lifeboat from 1947 to 1981 and when the RNLI pulled out of the village in 1969 he was chosen to be the first coxswain in the independent era.

Lifeboat chairman Paul Garrod said: 'The whole crew is sad at our loss and the flag at the station has been flying at half mast as a sign of respect.'

Derek George, 75, lifeboat secretary and a long-time friend of Mr Brown, described him as 'unique, someone who could tell a good story and a man Caister could be proud of.

'He was a deeply religious man and used to say a prayer every time before he went out to sea,' he said.

Mr Brown served in the Royal Navy during the second world war and after being demobbed worked in Plymouth until 1947 when his yearning for Caister brought him home.

Mr George said: 'After the long journey back to Norfolk he went straight down to the village fish and chip shop and the maroon went off.

'As usual, everyone raced to the beach and the then lifeboat coxswain Jimmy Brown said to Mabby, 'Are you going to give us one, boy?'. That was how he came to join the lifeboat.'

Mr George said his fisherman friend was always quick to tell the story of his most memorable rescue, in the 1970s, which made the national papers.

He said: 'He was on his fishing boat on a glorious Spring afternoon and thought he saw a hand waving on Scroby Sands.

'Hauling in the nets and approaching as close as he could, he saw a young lady standing on the sand and called to her, 'don't go anywhere'.'

Returning to Caister and launching both lifeboats, they rescued the girl, Louise Burden, and discovered she had been there for 27 hours.

'She had hired a pleasure boat at Beccles marina and gone through the lock at Lowestoft and out to sea to see the seals and run aground,' he said.

'Mabby was convinced the Lord had sent him to save that girl.'

He said Mr Brown was in no doubt his scariest experience came on January 12, 1978 when they answered a mayday call to a Greek ship, Sea Diamond, which was in difficulties in 80mph winds off Lowestoft.

He said: 'It was horrendous weather and Caister lifeboat was called out after Gorleston lifeboat suffered engine failure and the Lowestoft lifeboat had to go to her aid.

'Mabby summoned the crew and asked them, 'shall we go'. They all said yes, but they had to move the boat south to find better launching conditions.'

He said the dangerous mission ended with the sad task of recovering bodies from the Sea Diamond's crew who had abandoned ship.

Mr Brown leaves a widow, Olive, daughter Dawn and two granddaughters, Abbie and Briony.

Funeral details have yet to be arranged.

Mr George pledged a there would be a 'strong presence' from the lifeboat.