Three men from Ramsey lifeboat station have laid claim to being the first Manxmen to climb the rigging of an 1863-built full-rigged sailing ship since the Ramsey-built vessel last left the island some 100 years ago... And what were they doing in the rigging of a Manx sailing ship moored in San Diego, California in the first place? Well, like many a lifeboat tale it's a long story, but in essence they were celebrating a wedding... the wedding of the station's assistant tractor driver Mervyn Sims and his new bride Debbie.

The ceremony was held aboard the Star of India now preserved in the San Diego Maritime Museum and which provided a magnificent and appropriate setting for the wedding.

And of course what better to do after a wedding than climb the rigging of a sailing ship? Crew members Kevin Christian and Mark Kenyon together with tractor driver Juan Sable made the ascent, but bridegroom Mervyn claimed there were more important things to attend to...Royal Penarth HRH The Duke of York made a brief visit to Penarth lifeboat station in March.

Having been introduced to civic dignitaries, Raymond Cory CBE, vice-president of the RNLI presented station officials and introduced HRH to members of the ladies' guild and station branch committee.

After leaving the boathouse the Duke walked along the sea front where he spoke to some of the many onlookers. At the end of the promenade he met the lifeboat crew before inspecting the lifeboat and watching the D class launched. He is pictured with crew members Callum Couper, Gareth Wigmore and Martin Bromley. Photo Western MailQuick on the draw Bromley. Photo Western Mail Anthea Turner, one of the presenters of the BBC 'Blue Peter' children's programme drew the winning tickets for the RNLI's 65th national lottery on 30 April. The draw was held while the fifth 'Blue Peter' Pieces of Eight appeal auction was taking place.

The draw, which raised over £134,000, was supervised by Anthony Oliver, deputy head of fundraising and marketing.

Since the RNLI started running a national lottery in 1977 over £4m has been raised for lifeboat funds.

The prize winners were: £2,000 D. Ratcliff, Middlesbrough.

£1,000 G. Bruce, Washington, Tyne & Wear. £750 Miss V.M. Waldron, St Helens, Merseyside; Mrs M.T.

Reynolds, Canterbury, Kent. £500 S.O.

Warmington, Leamington Spa. £250 P. Culken, York. £100 K. Pearce, Okehampton, Devon; R. Jewell, Lymington, Hants; Miss L. Watson, Timperley, Cheshire; Mrs A. Jamieson, Sandwick, Isle of Lewis; Mrs F. Croft, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. £50 Mrs R.

Bauer, Marlow, Bucks; Mr Davey, Uckfield, Sussex; Miss K. Wisdom, Twickenham, Middx; Mrs N. Wilson, Lancing, Sussex; A.C. Milne, Glasgow.On Station The following lifeboats have taken up station duties: ALL-WEATHER Alderney - Trent 14-01 (ON 1180) Earl & Countess Mountbatten of Burma on 7 March 1994. Temporary station lifeboat.

INSHORE St Agnes - D453 Blue Peter IV on 21 February 1994.

Cleethorpes - D454 Blue Peter VI on 22 February 1994.

North Berwick - D452 Blue Peter III on 8 March 1994.

Falmouth - B595 Falmouth Round Table on 9 March 1994.

Portrush - D456 Jonathan Simpson on 26 March 1994.

Rock - D350 on 26 March 1994.

Aberystwyth - B704 Enid Mary on 30 March 1994.

Relief - D457 Elsie Frances I on 30 March 1994.

Tighnabruaich - C523 on 19 April 1994 for one year's evaluation.

Relief - B705 Vera Skilton on 20 April 1994.

North Kessock - D459 Margaret & Fiona Wood on 10 May 1994.

Bundoran - B512 US Navy League on 12 Mayl994.

The following all-weather lifeboat stations have been allocated a D class to provide additional cover for evaluation over the summer season: Newcastle, Co Down - D333 on 14 January 1994 Sennen Cove - D365 on 22 February 1994 Montrose - D398 Victory Wheelers on 14 April 1994 Angle - D336 on 5 May 1994 Whitby Summer Over a six week period in March and April ITV screened a mini-series 'One Summer in Whitby' which followed the lives of seven people in the North Yorkshire fishing port. One of those people was the present owner/skipper of the former Whitby lifeboat Mary Ann Hepworth which is now used for taking visitors on pleasure trips around the bay.

Several sequences featured the old boat, one in particular when she was seen taking a party out of port for a short trip. The skipper told the passengers that there was a 'slight swell'. Notquite true! It was a short, steep swell.

One or two looked uncomfortable but the grand old boat rode majestically over the waves.

Current members of Whitby lifeboat crew were featured in a staged rescue for an episode of the ITV series 'Heartbeat' and were also involved in the annual blessing of the boats service conducted by the Bishop of Whitby..