RNLI volunteer retires after more than 50 years

Phil Denham has volunteered at the RNLI for more than five decades

An award-winning volunteer, who has spent more than five decades with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), is set to retire.

The Blackpool arm of the charity paid tribute to Phil Denham, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday.

Mr Denham joined the RNLI as a crew member on Blackpool lifeboats, later qualifying as an inshore lifeboat helm, and has been involved in "many rescues" over the years.

He was awarded the RNLI bronze medal for gallantry, one of only six medals awarded to Blackpool volunteers over 160 years.

'Integral'

David Warburton, Blackpool's operations manager, said: "Phil has dedicated over five decades to the safety of Blackpool's beach and the sea, through his volunteering with the RNLI and work with beach patrol.

Mr Denham, who also qualified as a launch and recovery driver, lifeboat-training co-ordinator and sea-safety volunteer while serving with the RNLI, had been "an integral part of the Blackpool Lifeboat Station... with many rescues and lives saved to his name", the charity said.

Mr Warburton said Mr Denham would "definitely" be missed, and wished him well in his retirement.

The medal for gallantry was awarded to Mr Denham for his part in the rescue of the crew of two angling boats who found themselves in difficulty during "horrendous conditions and gale-force winds" on 6 January 1988, according to the charity.

One boat had capsized, and the second boat's crew were firing distress flares, with their vessel also in the throes of capsizing - prompting the launch of two lifeboats.

Crews pulled two people from the water and took them ashore.

Two others died in the incident, but one of those rescued survived, making a full recovery, the RNLI said.

In recognition of their actions that day Mr Denham and his colleague, helm Keith Horrocks, were awarded RNLI bronze medals for gallantry.

Mr Denham was also selected to attend the RNLI 200th anniversary service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in March - a reflection of his standing in the Blackpool RNLI community.