Thousands join guided walk to Tower of Refuge in Douglas Bay

Thousands of people have walked to the Isle of Man’s Tower of Refuge in aid of the RNLI.

Chairman of the Douglas branch of the charity Martyn Perkins said there had been a “fantastic turnout” for the 10th annual guided walk.

The Douglas Bay landmark, built on Conister Rock in 1832, was the idea of RNLI founder Sir William Hillary, who wanted a refuge for sailors on ships caught on the rock.

It can only be reached on foot to during certain tidal conditions.

The event could not take place in last year because the tides were not low enough, it was also cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Perkins said people had “dug deep” to donate to the RNLI, which is marking 200 years of saving lives at sea in 2024, as the charity is “engrained in people's hearts in the island”.

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