Boys stranded rr WAS AN HOUR before high water on the afternoon of Sunday July 20, 1986, when the honorary secretary of Westonsuper- Mare lifeboat station was contacted by Swansea Coastguard to be told that two boys were trapped by the tide on rocks on the south side of Brean Down, two and a quarter miles south south west of the station.

Immediately the lifeboat crew were paged and at 1743, only three minutes after the coastguard's message was received, Weston's rigid inflatable Atlantic 21 lifeboat, Western Centenary, was launched manned by Helmsman Julian Morris and Crew Members Richard Spindler, Michael Hawkings and Nicholas White.

The sky was partly cloudy with clear visibility and the westerly breeze was blowing at a fresh to strong force 5 to 6.

The lifeboat headed south west at full speed in a moderate sea and swell until she was clear of the western end of Brean Down. The helmsman then turned east south east to run parallel to the shore until the lifeboat was opposite the two boys.

Four to five foot surf was running on to the shore and, in order to assess the situation, Helmsman Morris brought the lifeboat's head to sea and by using helm and full range of engine power, held position 40 yards offshore. The two boys were stranded beneath steep cliffs and because of the rocky foreshore, the only way to reach them was by sending a crew member ashore. Richard Spindler volunteered to make the swim even though it meant going without a line as the engines were still being used to keep the lifeboat in position.

He reached the shore and found one very frightened eight-year-old who could not swim and a 15-year-old who said he was able to swim. In the meantime, Helmsman Morris had succeeded in anchoring the lifeboat in the surf and had veered down to within 20 yards of the scene. Richard Spindler now re-entered the sea and swamagainst the surf back to the lifeboat where he gathered two lifejackets for the boys. Then, taking a line, he swam again to the shore.

The boys donned the lifejackets and Richard Spindler attached the line to himself and the younger boy before they both entered the water. While Crew Members Hawkings and White hauled them back towards the lifeboat, Spindler held the eight-year-old so that his head was well above the water and spoke comfortingly to him. When he had seen the boy safely aboard the lifeboat he returned to the shore to repeat the operation with the 15-yearold.

The boys required comfort rather than any first aid treatment aboard the lifeboat and once the anchor had been weighed Helmsman Morris headed for the beach at North Berrow Flats where an ambulance was waiting. The lifeboat was anchored and veered on to the beach through four foot surf. The boys were transferred to the ambulance and immediately the lifeboat was called out to another service. When it turned out that the lifeboat was not needed, she returned to her station and at 1900 was washed down, rehoused and ready once more for service.

Following this service the thanks of the Institution on vellum was accorded to Crew Member Richard Spindler and vellum service certificates accorded to Helmsman Julian Morris and Crew Members Michael Hawkings and Nicholas White..