Schoolgirl leaves class for RNLI emergency callout

Danielle Marr (left) and Louise McNicoll after their first emergency callout on the Anstruther lifeboat

A teenage RNLI volunteer had to leave school to help a broken-down boat on her first emergency callout.

Danielle Marr, 18, was in a science class at Waid Academy in Anstruther, Fife, when her pager sounded in school for the first time.

The teenager, who is in her final year, was called out to Anstruther lifeboat station at 10:40 on Wednesday, where she was joined by fellow volunteers.

They set off to help a 28ft vessel that had suffered mechanical failure.

Another new volunteer, mother-of-two Louise McNicoll, 30, was also involved in the rescue which happened off the coast of Crail.

'Strange feeling'

Danielle said: "I was assisting a junior pupil in a science class when my pager sounded.

"It was a strange feeling as it's the first time I have heard the pager go off in school and the teachers and staff were great to allow me to exit so quickly.

"The shout itself went exactly to plan as we regularly practise towing the all-weather lifeboat with our D class and vice versa, so it wasn't the first time that myself or Louise have worked on this task, but it certainly was a different feeling doing it in a shout scenario."

The teenager has permission to leave class for rescues.

She is following in the footsteps of her older brother Anthony, who has volunteered at the station since Danielle was six.

The two women have volunteered at the lifeboat station for several months.

During the rescue, the volunteers secured a towing line to the boat under the supervision of the coxswain and senior crew before the short journey back to Anstruther harbour.

Ms McNicoll said: "I was getting my son ready for nursery when my pager sounded.

"I had the added extra of dropping my son at my mum's house on the way to the station.

"It was great to see the training we practise put into action and having my first shout alongside Danielle was an added bonus.

"The senior crew assisted us in what we had to do and all in all it was a job well done."