About midnight on the 24th January the Thomas Wilson life-boat put off in reply to signals of distress, and brought safely ashore the crew of 6 men belonging to the brig Benton, of South Shields, which was totally wrecked, during foggy weather, on the Black Steel Rocks off Whitburn.

The crew had abandoned the wreck in their own boat, and were drifting fast out to sea, when the life-boat happily overtook them in their dangerous position.