Tynemouth, Northumberland. On the afternoon of the 1st July, 1961, the life- boat Tynesider was launched to take out members of the Tynemouth and South Shields ladies' life-boat guilds.

After returning from the trip she lay alongside the west side of the life-boat slipway. The weather was fine. It was high water with a full spring and very heavy tide. A small boat with three men on board, which was making her way very slowly against the tide, suddenly appeared to lose an oar. She spun round and was soon being carried away out of control. The life-boat im- mediately went to her help and was asked to tow the boat downstream to the moorings. Meanwhile the lost oar had been recovered.

Considerable shouting was now heard from the fish-quay and seemed to be directed towards the life-boat. There also seemed to be excitement on board a small crabber Margaret and Dennis, and a crowd had collected on the quay above her. The life-boat cast off the small boat, promising to return if she again got into difficulties, and made for the fish-quay. She went alongside the Margaret and Dennis, receiving slight damage to her fender in doing so.

It was then learnt that the skipper of a trawler had fallen into the water after striking his head. Oxygen was being administered to him, but rather than land him at the quay it was agreed that it would be better to take him to the ferry landing, where an ambulance had been sent to wait. As there was no power on board the crabber, the life- boat was asked to tow her to the ferry landing. Fortunately the life-boat was carrying oxygen resuscitation apparatus, and the injured man was transferred to the life-boat without incident and taken to the landing three quarters of a mileaway. He was still unconscious when he arrived and was carried into the waiting ambulance and taken to hos- pital. The life-boat then took the guild members back to South Shields and finally reached her station at 5.15..