Scottish lifeboat rescues down in 2011

There were 1,006 Scottish lifeboat launches in 2011, with 847 people rescued

Scotland's lifeboats rescued more than 800 people in 2011, according to figures from the RNLI.

The charity's busiest station was Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, where the two boats launched 104 times - a record year for the crew.

And the busiest inshore lifeboat was at Queensferry Station on the Forth, which assisted 117 people over the year.

But overall the figures were down on 2010 when there were a total of 1,011 launches with 916 people rescued.

The RNLI said 2011 was the organisation's sixth busiest year in Scotland, with 1,006 launches and 847 people rescued.

The crew at Dunbar, East Lothian, spent the most time at sea on exercises and rescues, with 2,327 hours logged. In total, the 45 Scottish crews spent 33,888 hours on their lifeboats.

Stations at Campbeltown, Stornoway, Kessock, Kippford and Islay recorded more than 50% of their services in darkness.

Scotland's busiest month was July, with 145 incidents.

The RNLI's divisional inspector in Scotland, Paul Jennings, said: "The annual statistics reveal once again the devotion to duty by our volunteer crews throughout Scotland.

"Apart from the shouts, the crews spend a great deal of time in exercising and improving their skills so that they are in a position to help anyone in all types of weather and in all types of situation.

"It is particularly notable that during December we had four spells of stormy weather with winds from force 10 to 12 and yet our crews still launched, as they always do whatever the weather."