EARLY on the evening of the 28th of August, 1957, a schoolmaster went to the harbour at Staithes in Yorkshire with a number of his pupils to bathe.

There was a light north-westerly wind blowing, and outside the harbour the sea was rough. The tide was flooding and there was a confused sea inside the harbour.

Shouts for help were heard by the head launcher of the Runswick lifeboat, George Hanson, who immediately went into the sea fully clothed and brought a boy ashore. He then went out again to help the schoolmaster, Mr. Christopher Jardine, who was also in difficulties. He failed to reach him and then himself collapsed face down in the water. Two young men, Stephen Jackson and James Wright, saw what had happened and immediately ran up the harbour for a boat. On the way they met the coxswain of the Runswick life-boat, Frank Verrill, and the three of them put out in an 18-feet rowing boat.

They found George Hanson, who weighed over 16 stone, and with some difficulty took him on board. They brought him ashore but he died soon afterwards. The search continued for Mr. Jardine, whose body was found after dark.

The Carnegie Hero Fund Trust has awarded a memorial certificate, to Mr. Hanson's widow and has given her a pension and a grant for funeral expenses. The Institution also made a grant to the widow..