Lytham-St. Anne's, Lancashire and New Brighton, Cheshire - At 7.44 p.m. on 2nd December, 1968, it was learnt that the shrimp boat Boy David with two men on board was overdue at Southport. After further enquiries had been made the life-boat Mary Stanford, on temporary duty at New Brighton, slipped her moorings at 9.25 in a gentle east south easterly breeze with a slight sea. The tide was flooding. The Lytham-St. Anne's lifeboat Sarah Towsend Porritt slipped her moorings at 10.35 and took the IRB in tow to search close to the shoals if necessary. The Sarah Townsend Porritt came up with the Boy David with engine trouble three miles south of Wall End buoy and took her in tow to Lytham. The IRB and Sarah Townsend Porritt returned to their stations at 3.30 a.m. on 3rd December, 1968, and the Mary Stanford at 4.15 a.m..