Penlee, and The Lizard, Cornwall.—At 9.40 on the night of the 1st of March, 1956, the St. Just coastguard rang up the Penlee life-boat station to say that the motor vessel Crete Avon, of London, a vessel of 4,100 tons, had been in tow of the tug Cruiser, of Glasgow, but that the tow rope had parted six miles east of Wolf Rock. At ten o'clock the life-boat W. and S. was launched.

She made for the position in a heavy sea, with a west-by-south gale blowing and an ebbing tide. The Crete Avon was drifting eastwards and the tug was making for shelter to recover her hawser. The Porthleven coastguard Life-Saving Apparatus team stood by, and at 11.55 the Lizard life-boat crew- assembled.

At 11.30 the Penlee life-boat reached the Crete Avon, which was then between nine and ten miles west of the Lizard, and went alongside.

The Crete Avon had on board fifteen people, including a woman, but the master said that he needed no help and would wait for the tug. The life- boat remained near her and passed a wireless message to the Crete Avon from Lands End radio station asking if she needed another tug. The master again said he needed no further help, but the life-boat continued to stand by. The ebb tide eventually carried the vessel clear of The Lizard and to seaward, so the Penlee life-boat re- turned to her station, arriving at 2.30 early on the 2nd. The Lizard life- boat crew stood down at 2.25, and at 8.50 it was reported that the Cruiser had taken the Crete Anon in tow again.

About 12.20 in the afternoon, the Lizard coastguard rang up the Lizard life-boat station and said that, the tow rope had parted again and that the vessel was now three miles south-west of the coastguard station. The master still said that he did not need a life- boat, but at 12.57 the coastguard reported that the vessel had drifted close in-shore and that the Life-Saving Apparatus team were assembling. At 1.20 the Lizard life-boat Duke of York was launched in a rough sea with a moderate westerly breeze blowing.

She found the Crete Avon at anchor very close to rocks. The master asked the life-boat to stand by, and she passed wireless messages for the vessel to the Cruiser and to Lands End radio station. The tug managed to take the Crete Avon in tow again at 3.20, and the life-boat stood by until the tug had pulled the Crete Avon clear of the rocks. She then returned to her station, arriving at five o'clock.— Rewards: Penlee, rewards to the crew, £16 3s. 6d.; rewards to the helpers on shore, £8 9s. 6d. The Lizard, rewards to the crew, £16 9,?.; re-wards to the helpers on shore, £10 11s..