Volunteer life brigade responds to record callouts

Tom Fennelly is the honorary secretary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade

A search and rescue team has responded to its highest number of callouts since it was founded almost 160 years ago.

South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade has attended 155 incidents so far - an increase of 19 on last year.

The charity, founded in 1866, is made up of volunteers trained in water and coastal rescues.

Honorary secretary Tom Fennelly said the record-breaking year was "not cause for celebration".

Volunteers assist the coastguard and provide support to all emergency services.

At one point they were called out "six times in one weekend" to support one individual who was in distress, Mr Fennelly said.

"We respond more and more to people who are clearly in mental distress and we try to point them to best services to get them support.

"It's been a record-breaking year but it's not cause for celebration - we just hope there is a happy outcome when we are needed."

South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade is based at the South Pier

Earlier this month, crews were sent to rescue a dog walker from a cliff face who got into difficulty attempting to save a pet.

The coastguard said the situation could "easily have ended in a fatality".

Volunteers' day jobs are varied and Mr Fennelly said the service was always in need of the "right recruits".

"It would be great to see more people keen to join the service," he said.

"We always make sure we have a good number of volunteers to respond to callouts but we do need support."