Ott the 1st January, 1861, the brig Lovely Netty, of Seaham, was driven ashore on Whitley Sands, two miles from Cullercoats, and three miles north of the Tyne. A strong gale was blowing from E.S.E., with a heavy sea and showers of snow and sleet.

The Cullercoats life-boat was promptly drawn on her carriage to the spot, and launched through a high surf, when she succeeded in taking off six of the crew, and landed them in safety. A boy was unfor- tunately drowned, as before he could be got into the boat the mainmast fell, and entan- gled him in its rigging. The vessel almost immediately afterwards broke tip. The life- boat was reported to hare behaved remark- ably well, and her coxswain and crew to have acted in the most prompt and energetic manner; indeed, bad they not done so the vessel would have broken up, and the crew have been drowned, before the arrival of the life-boat to their aid..