Fleetwood, Lancashire.—At 2.55 on the morning of the 2nd of June, 1956, the county police rang up to say that the yacht Cistus with a crew of four had struck an unlighted buoy in the Wyre Channel and had sunk. The life-boat Edmund and Mary Robinson, on tem- porary duty at the station, was launched at 3.15 in a smooth sea. A strong west-south-westerly breeze was blowing and the tide was flooding.

Two of the crew of the Cistus had managed to swim ashore, and the third was rescued by a ship's boat which was helping in the search. This boat became swamped and was towed to safety together with another rescue boat whose engine had broken downThe fourth member of the crew was found by the life-boat about two miles up the river. He was uncon- scious but was being supported by his life-jacket. He was given first aid and taken ashore, where he was rushed to the hospital. The life-boat arrived back at her station at 4.45.— Rewards to the crew, £7; rewards to the helpers on shore, £2 10s..