Cullercoats, Northumberland. At 2.55 on the afternoon of the 4th of October, 1959, the police at Whitley Bay told the honorary secretary that a ketch was in difficulties off Table Rocks in Whitley Bay. Eight minutes later the life-boat Isaac and Mary Bolton was launched in a very choppy sea. There was a moder- ate south-easterly wind and it was an hour and a half before high water. Fog reduced visibility to some 25-50 yards.

The life-boat made for the position given, and a dinghy, with two sea cadets on board, was found drifting in a dangerous position near the sea wall.

The sea cadets and their boat were taken on board, and the boys told the cox- swain that their training ketch Warspite had grounded earlier on a sewerage pipe.

The cadets had attempted to lay out an anchor, but before they could do so the ketch had been refloated and drifted away in the fog. While returning to her station the life-boat found the motor cruiser Sea Hog, with a crew of four, in difficulties. The sea cadets and the dinghy were landed at Cullercoats, and the life-boat then returned to the Sea Hog and escorted her into the river.

She finally reached her station at 4.10.

Rewards to the crew, £9 ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £10 5s..