The crew of Cullercoats inshore lifeboat went to the aid of an unusual casualty in March - a 7ft conger eel! The 70lb fish, named Queenie, was given a flying start on her journey to the spawning grounds of the Azores, when her keepers at Tynemouth Sea Life Centre realised her rapid growth was because she was full of eggs.

Raymond Taylor, station honorary secretary of the Cullercoats inshore lifeboat said the crew were happy to do a good turn for the Sea Life Centre as staff there had always helped the RNLI with fundraising.

After a bit of a struggle to lift her into the lifeboat, crew members took her a mile offshore and put her back into the sea where she joined other migrating eels..