RNLI invests £54m around Welsh coastline in last two years

The RNLI has invested a total of £54m along the Welsh coastline over the past two years, figures show.

The money has been spent on four state-of-the-art boats and new facilities, such as a new boathouse at Mumbles in Swansea where crews moved in last week.

Work is nearly complete on a new lifeboat station at Porthdinllaen in Gwynedd and work has started at Moelfre on Anglesey.

The charity paid tribute to the support of local volunteers.

The level of investment, revealed to BBC Wales, follows figures that show just how busy the RNLI has been in Wales during 2013.

They launched 1,127 times in 2013 - up 134 on 2012 - and rescued 216 more people compared to 2012. Some 49 lives were directly saved last year.

Local volunteer groups each have a target to contribute to the costs: Mumbles needs £136,000; Porthdinllaen and Moelfre require £100,000 each.

A similar appeal is expected to be launched at St Davids in Pembrokeshire where new facilities are being planned.

Moelfre's £2.7m lifeboat was named RNLB Kiwi after Reginald James Clark from New Zealand left £2.2m to the RNLI in his will

RNLI community fund raising manager Deborah Ferns paid tribute to the support of volunteers such as those at Porthdinllaen where £66,500 has already been raised locally.

"The crew here have been fantastic and got behind a community appeal to raise £100,000," she said.

Last March, a new lifeboat was unveiled on Anglesey after a New Zealander left £2.2m to the RNLI in his will.

Moelfre's £2.7m lifeboat has been named RNLB Kiwi after Reginald James Clark, who died in June 2004.

Mr Clark was a merchant seaman who was rescued by a lifeboat after his ship was torpedoed during World War Two.

The new RNLI lifeboat station at Porthdinllaen is due to open soon