A similar course of events took place in Cumbria on 7 February 1996, when St Bees lifeboat was used to bring in food after supplies ran out. Crew members ferried bread, milk (and nappies!) to St.

Bees villagers - other consignments went to the local school where 150 students were snowed in.

Crew members commandeered a tractor to get themselves down to the lifeboat station, where drifts were 3ft to 4ft deep, to use the lifeboat which had only been on service once since its recent commission..