St Ives to get new £1.5m RNLI Shannon class lifeboat

The first Shannon class lifeboats will be given to stations in 2013

A lifeboat station in Cornwall will be one of the first in the UK to receive a new £1.5m boat.

The St Ives lifeboat station will have its existing craft, the Princess Royal, replaced with the Shannon class boat in about three years.

The charity said the St Ives lifeboat was more than 20 years old and would be replaced at the end of its operational life.

The boat will be paid for by a generous legacy, a charity spokesperson added.

They said that for confidentiality reasons the source could not be named.

'Enhance our ability'

St Ives lifeboat operations manager Derek Hall said: "Everyone at St Ives lifeboat station is delighted and extremely honoured.

"We're extremely excited to see the Shannon coming to the station where we're sure her capabilities will enhance our ability to save lives."

The Shannon can be launched and recovered from beaches without relying on slipways and harbours, the charity added.

The lifeboat can reach a top speed of 25 knots, compared to its predecessor which had a top speed of 17 knots.

The first Shannon class lifeboats will be given to stations in 2013, the RNLI said.