Lifeboat move postponed due to slipway issues

The RNLI says it is unable move the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat to Wells because the slipway had not been maintained

Plans to remove a lifeboat from an RNLI station in Norfolk have been postponed due to slipway problems.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) shut the Sheringham Lifeboat Station with immediate effect on 30 January because the cliff behind the building is unstable.

A spokesperson for the charity said its move to Wells could not take place after "operational colleagues identified that the slipway could not be made ready for the launch to go ahead."

The charity had intended to move the boat on Tuesday, but owing to issues with the slipway it will move the boat at a date yet to be fixed.

The RNLI said: "It is understandable that something like this prevented the launch because the slipway hasn't been receiving its usual maintenance since activities were temporarily suspended when the safety concerns emerged."

The charity said it would move all of the station's operational equipment to a storage unit in Wells, while it assesses its options for the Sheringham site and service.

The spokesperson added: "The RNLI is now taking action to ensure the safety of kit and equipment, which has been funded by the generous donations of our supporters and members of the public."

Sheringham Lifeboat will be removed and stored in Wells while the RNLI decides whether it can repair the station or find an alternative site

The RNLI said there was no current plan for remediation work at the station, and that an assessment was ongoing to understand "what, if anything, can be done" with the building.

Volunteers at Wells, Cromer and Hunstanton Lifeboat Stations will cover the area until a solution is found at Sheringham.

The spokesperson added: "Removing the lifeboat from the station and relocating it locally allows technicians to gain access to the lifeboat and complete any work or repairs, such as planned maintenance, and prepare it for continued service when a new location nearby is found to launch from.

"The RNLI is actively investigating options for alternative launch and recovery sites for both the short and medium term, while options for the future of the building at Sheringham are assessed, decided on and planned for."