Sunderland, Co. Durham. At 5.15 on the afternoon of the 25th of June, 1960, when the life-boat crew were in the boathouse after an exercise, the coxswain received a report from the owner of the fishing boat Linda that he had lent the boat to two men for fishing, who were now overdue. He was concerned, as there was thick fog and the boat did not have a compass.

The honorary secretary decided the life-boat should carry out a search, and at 5.25 the life-boat Edward and Isabella Irwin was launched at high water in a gentle north-north-easterly wind. After searching for some time the life-boat found the fishing boat on the beach about five miles south of Sunderland.

The men who had taken her out could not be traced, and it was later learned that after they had used all the petrol they had beached the boat and returned to Sunderland overland. The life-boat towed the fishing boat back to Sunder- land and returned to her station at 7.45. Rewards to the crew, £8 8s. ; rewards to the helpers on shore, £1 16s..