TORBAY, Tuesday June 16, 1987: Brixham Coastguard alerted the honorary secretary of Torbay lifeboat station at 1515 that a small speedboat had run aground off Thatcher Rock and that one of its four occupants had injured her ankle jumping ashore. The 52ft Arun class lifeboat Ralph and Bonella Farrant, on temporary duty at Torb'ay, slipped her moorings and arrived at the scene within half an hour. Mrs Margaret McMahon, of Goodrington, is pictured being transferred to the lifeboat's Y boat, before being conveyed to Torquay Harbour, where an ambulance took her to Torbay Hospital for treatment. Mr McMahon accompanied his wife on board the lifeboat, while the two other survivors stayed with the speedboat to await the next high tide, when it was refloated. Torbay lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service by 1715.

photograph by courtesy of Herald Express, Torquay.