Football stand named after lifeboat in Penlee disaster

The stand was opened and a plaque unveiled at the club on Saturday

A stand named after the Solomon Browne lifeboat has been opened at Mousehole Association Football Club.

It marks the 40th anniversary of the Penlee lifeboat disaster, when 16 people lost their lives.

The sons of a crewmember of the Solomon Brown, who died in the tragedy, opened the stand in Paul, near Mousehole, in Cornwall, on Saturday.

The chairman of Mousehole AFC said the crew would be "remembered forever".

The eight crew of the Solomon Browne died, alongside the eight people on board the cargo ship Union Star

The Solomon Browne was the name of the lifeboat which went to the aid of the stricken cargo ship Union Star.

In 60ft waves and hurricane force winds, the eight lifeboat crew tried to get alongside, but both boats were overwhelmed and there were no survivors.

The 19 December marks 40 years since the tragedy.

Mousehole AFC has close ties to the Penlee lifeboat, as many of those who died lived in the village.

The club's chairman said it was special for the community to have the new stand named after the Solomon Browne

Deryk Heywood, chairman Mousehole AFC said: "It's really special for the community because we've always had this close association, Mousehole Football Club with the Penlee lifeboat, we want to keep that going.

"Naming [the stand] the Solomon Browne stand is in honour of the boat that was lost. There's no words that can describe the act of bravery, they're immortal, they'll be remembered forever."

Kevin and Neil Brockman, the sons of crewman Nigel Brockman, were there to open the stand in memory of their father

Kevin and Neil Brockman, Sons of Solomon Browne Lifeboatman Nigel Brockman were there to open the stand.

"It's absolutely amazing, my dad would be doing somersaults on the moon if he was still here now," Kevin Brockman said.