TOWING TROUBLES Ilfracombe, North Devon. At 8.50 p.m. on 5th June, 1965, a small boat, four miles west of Bull Point, was reported by the coastguard to be in need of assistance. The life-boat Robert and Phemia Brown was launched at 9 o'clock.

There was a light southerly breeze and a smooth sea. It was two hours before high water. The life-boat found a fishing vessel, Marie Leach, with dead engines, had been taken in tow by a local trawler returning from Lundy. The tow rope parted on two occasions and the life-boat stood by to render assistance and escorted the vessels to Ilfracombe harbour, arriving at 10.30 p.m..