Bather in difficulty HUMBER COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Mablethorpe lifeboat station at 1634 on Friday August 19, 1983, that a bather was in difficulty at Theddlethorpe, about three miles to the north of the station. Maroons were fired and Mablethorpe's D class inflatable lifeboat launched at 1638; she was manned by Helmsman Bernard Tuplin and Crew Members John Mayfield and Roderick Stones.

The afternoon was fine and clear with good visibility. It was half an hour after high water, neap tides, and the ebb was beginning to run north north west. Afresh to strong breeze, force 5 to 6, was blowing from the east, with a four-foot swell.

Launching through the surf, the lifeboat headed out to sea until she was clear of the surf line and then turned north. Speed was kept down to about three-quarters because of the state of the wind and seas and a zig-zag course was steered because it was often necessary to head into the oncoming swell.

As the lifeboat approached Theddlethorpe her crew saw Mablethorpe Lifeguard Landrover on the beach.

Helmsman Tuplin was just heading in to obtain the exact position of the casualty when, as the lifeboat rose on the top of a wave, the crew saw someone in the water, waving, about 50 yards ahead.

The easterly breeze was still force 5 to 6 but the swell was now five feet high and the surf was breaking about 400 yards from the shore.

Deciding that it was too rough for the lifeboat to manoeuvre in the surf, Helmsman Tuplin shouted to Crew Member Mayfield, saying that he would drive inshore, dropping him off on the way to help the swimmer while the lifeboat was beached, turned and brought back to pick them both up.

Following a sea running inshore, Helmsman Tuplin passed north of the position where the man, a lifeguard who had come out from the shore, had been seen. As the inflatable lifeboat passed him, John Mayfield, a good swimmer, slipped over the port sponson and, as soon as he was in the water, found himself beside a man lying face up.

Grabbing the man, he supported him and signalled to the lifeguard, who was a few yards away and who quickly joined him. With surf continuallybreaking over them, they then began to swim towards the shore taking the man with them.

The inflatable lifeboat, meanwhile, had beached on a bar some 200 yards from the shore, and, on beaching, Helmsman Tuplin saw that the group in the water had been washed inshore and were only 30 to 40 yards away; John Mayfield was, in fact able to stand. The helmsman therefore told his remaining crew member, Roderick Stones, another good swimmer, to wade into the surf to help.

The bather was brought to the inflatable lifeboat, where mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiac massage were immediately begun. While Helmsman Tuplin continued this treatment, Crew Members Mayfield and Stones pulled the lifeboat over the bar and through the shallow water beyond to the beach.

First aid was continued until the arrival of a Wessex helicopter from RAF Leconfield and the bather could be taken to Grimsby Hospital by air; sadly, however, he was found to be dead on arrival.

The lifeboat was relaunched and headed back to the station, taking with her the lifeguard who was by this time exhausted and also needed medical treatment. Arriving at 1725, the lifeboat was recovered and she was once again ready for service by 1745.

For this service a letter of appreciation signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, was sent to Crew Member John E. Mayfield..