Rising tide RAMSEY COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Silloth lifeboat station at 1255 on Thursday February 11 that a man was stuck in the salmon nets at Dornock, two miles east of the River Annan, on the north side of the Solway Firth. At 1310 Silloth's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat launched on service manned by Helmsman Colin Akitt and Crew Members Ashley Litt and Philip Satterthwaite.

The weather was fair with a moderate to fresh breeze, force 4 to 5, blowing from west south west. The sea was choppy with a heavy swell. It was two hours before high water.

The casualty was one of the three wildfowlers who had walked out to examine the terrain. The tide was rising and the man and his pointer dog were stranded when a gully filled with water.

His friends advised him to go to the T section of a salmon net while one of them went to dial 999. At this time it was estimated that there was about six feet of water below him. As the sea gradually deepened he climbed towards the top of the post, eventually having to release his dog. which swam ashore. He clung to the post for almost an hour.

When the lifeboat arrived, at 1336 the wildfowler was clinging to the top of theT section of the post in about 30 feet of water and about 60 yards from the shore. The tide was extremely fast running and the nearest the lifeboat could be brought to the post was 10 to 12 feet; by this time the man was also suffering from the effects of exposure.

Crew Member Litt climbed along the top rope of the salmon net through a current described as ferocious and brought the man safely to the lifeboat; during the passage to Annan, where he was transferred to an ambulance, the wildfowler was treated for exposure and hypothermia. The lifeboat was back on station at 1442.

For this service a letter of appreciation signed by Commander Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, was sent to Crew Member Ashley Litt. In a letter to George G. Egdell. Silloth honorary secretary, which was accompanied by a donation to the Institution, the survivor wrote; T suppose it was a routine job for the crew, but I can assure you for myself it was the opposite. I will not forget sighting the boat on the horizon and landing in the bottom of the lifeboat freezing with cold . . . Once again will you express my sincere thanks to all your lads at Silloth and throughout the RNLI.'.