Humber, Yorkshire. At 2.47 on the morning of the 1st of November, 1960, the coastguard informed the coxswain superintendent that red flares had been seen near the Bull lightvessel. A strong east-south-easterly wind was blowing, and the sea was very rough. At 3.6, just before high water, the life-boat City of Bradford HI-was launched. While she was making for the position given a message was received by radio-telephone that the flares were from a vessel near Haile Sand fort. The life-boat found the tender Pendonna, with a crew of two, in a dangerous position and pounding heavily. A rope was passed from the tender to the life-boat, and the Pen- donna, on being taken in tow, slipped her cable. During the eight-mile passage to Grimsby, which took over five hours, tow ropes parted six times.

As the Pendonna had no more ropes, the life-boat then used her mooring rope for towing. It was low water when Grimsby was reached, and as it would not have been possible for the life-boat to be rehoused at her station immedi- ately she remained for a time at Grimsby and finally returned to her station at two o'clock..