Gary makes a meal of it! When TV superchef Gary Rhodes was in search of an original culinary challenge for his latest television series, Alderney lifeboat crew cooked up a great idea. Having often enjoyed the hospitality of CROSSMA - the French coastguards from Jobourg, just across from Alderney - the RNLI lads wanted to return the compliment and if possible 'really show the French how to cook.' Gary, the Nigel Kennedy of haute cuisine, liked the challenge and the exercise began.

Gary climbed aboard Alderney lifeboat to select his kitchen crew - Coxswain Steve Shaw, Declan Gaudion, Craig Osborne, Brian Talbot and Brian Markell. Unfortunately, the familiarisation trip on the lifeboat when straight to the chef's delicate stomach - but once back on terra firma, he was his usual flamboyant self again.

Six days of filming became a 30 minute program, first of a series of six Gary Rhodes shows, screened by BBC2 on 5 November.

The programme was a recipe for success based on carefully selected ingredients - for starters, an introduction to Alderney and its lifestyle, a well-seasoned RNLI crew who described their work, several well-stirred boat trips and joint helicopter and lifeboat exercises.

A rather ambitious menu was created for the CROSSMA lads: Mussels glazed with cider and leeks, followed by roast chicken and bacon (flavoured with tarragon, garlic and lemon) and the piece de resistance - chocolate banana bread pudding with chocolate sorbet.

The cookery took place at various locations around the island with Steve and Brian Talbot assigned to the glamorous job of scrubbing the mussels and chopping the leeks and onions before learning how to cook the special platter.

The main course was prepared by Craig, Brian Markell and Declan, under the watchful eye of Gary who later produced the dessert.

On the big day the guests from CROSSMA - Claude Le Roux and his crew - had the surprise of their lives as the courses were presented and devoured. 'The mussels taste just like a Normandy recipe', commented Claude who was promptly corrected by Gary, 'No, recipe Anglais!'. The chicken and pudding were out of this world and the expressions on the guests faces said it all. 'Superbe', 'Delicieux', 'Formidable' they exclaimed between mouthfuls.

Gary and the Alderney crew had come up trumps with a menu that really showed the French how to cook - as far as the CROSSMA lads are concerned, their canteen chef now has a hard act to follow, starting with his hairstyle! Bronze ceremony Great Yarmouth Coxswain, David Mason, recently presented the Royal Life Saving Society Bronze Medallion to 20 youngsters at Sprowston High School in Norwich.

David, a recent RNLI Bronze Medallist, attended a special ceremony with some of the crew where he spoke to the children about the medal winning service and the work of the RNLI. Concluding the evening, he congratulated the youngsters and presented the school with a certificate for its outstanding contribution to swimming over the year.On Station The following lifeboats have taken up duty: ALL WEATHER Relief - Dora Foster McDougall 12 October 1997 INSHORE St Davids - D406 Phyl Clare on 19 July Appledore - B705 I/era Skilton on 13 August Barmouth - D524 on 13 August Kyle of Lochalsh - B740 Alexander Cattanch on 28 August Galway Bay - B738 Ddchas on 3 September Tighnabruaich - B549 Blenwatch on 25 September Lyme Regis - B741 on 29 September Fowey - D526 on 30 September Southend - D527 Ethel Violet Pearman Royal on 27 October North Sunderland - D529 on 4 November 1997 Going out with a shout When Scarborough lifeboat received a shout on 7 October to a fishing boat with propeller trouble, the crew blamed the station honorary secretary, George Exley, saying that he had set it up to go out in a blaze of glory.

George was in the boathouse when the pagers went off just eight hours before he was due to retire as secretary after 20 years. The lifeboat was away for just over an hour and towed the fishing boat back to harbour.

George, who received the MBE in the Queen's New Years Honours list for services to Scarborough lifeboat, saw the boat out and back as he has done for practically every launch since 1977 - now he has hung up his pager and mobile phone, but is still trying to convince the crew he did not set it all up! Race to the rescue All lifeboat crews pride themselves in their response times - the time from when the pagers go off to when the lifeboat hits the water - but the lads at Skegness like to do things in style.

Skegness is a popular holiday resort and becomes incredibly busy during the Summer, unfortunately this means the roads get jampacked and getting anywhere quickly by car is almost impossible. So during this busy season the lifeboat crew use what they call their 'fast reponse bikes' allowing them to keep their reponse time as low as three minutes on the inshore lifeboat and 12 on the all-weather boat..