Baby alerts lifeboat - twice!Most people have their first taste of a lifeboat a little later in life than tiny Francesa Richey, who found herself aboard Oban's Brede Nottinghamshire when only a few hours old - having already put her on alert once before! Francesca's appearance had not been expected for another week when it became obvious that she was in a hurry to get into the world at her parents' home on the Isle of Mull.

Oban lifeboat was put on alert to transfer mother and baby to hospital on the mainland, and launched at 0302 on 14 October 1990. But it was not to be just one minute into the passage to the island the lifeboat was recalled with the message 'Baby is not for waiting'! Francesca was born at 0530, butmother Gillian needed an urgent operation, so once again the lifeboat was called...

She launched again at 0700 into a southerly Force 7 wind, with a doctor and midwife aboard, and less than an hourand- a-half later was back to handmother and baby over to an ambulance for transfer to hospital.

Gillian andFrancesca were reported to be doing well, and were due to return home later in the week..