Devon resort receives grant towards new lifeboat

The coxswain hopes the new Hope Cove lifeboat will be operational in 2013

A charitable trust has received £6,000 towards replacing a lifeboat at a south Devon resort.

The charity, Hope Cove Life Boat, bought the current craft after it was removed from service in 2008 by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The new lifeboat is expected to cost about £60,000. The NatWest CommunityForce project has provided £6,000 worth of funding.

Coxswain Ian Pedrick said the charity hoped to receive the new boat in 2013.

"The boat we have is 20 years old and we need to replace it with an up-to-date boat," he added.

The Hope Cove lifeboat provides rescue cover for Bigbury Bay and complements RNLI cover in the area.

Hope Cove saw its former boat confiscated by the MCA after the crew ignored orders to wait for assistance and rescued a struggling teenager.

In 2010, the MCA and government ministers agreed there was a need for a rescue service based at Hope Cove and that the MCA would support a privately-operated service.

Mr Pedrick said: "We've had such good support from the village and the surrounding area, it's been mind-blowing."