Father and son trapped in cave Adifficult and dangerous service by Port Isaac's D class inshore lifeboat has led to the award of the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum to her helmsman Kevin Dingle and to a crew member, Mike Edkins.

The service, on 6 September 1998, made headline news when the two lifeboatmen became trapped in a cave and the station's lifeboat became a total loss.The rescue was a classic example of teamwork by the emergency services, with Padstow's all-weather lifeboat, Coastguards, Auxiliary Coastguards, an RAF and a Royal Navy helicopter all playing their part.

The events began when Port Isaac's D class was launched after the Coastguard alerted the station to a boy being swept out to sea at Bossiney, some seven miles to the northeast.

Although the wind was offshore and only around Force 3 a very big swell was running up the coast, reaching 15ft to 20ft high where it felt the effects of shallow water.

Launching at 1656 the lifeboat, Spirit of the PCSRE with helmsman Kevin Dingle and crew members Mike Edkins and Paul Pollington aboard, was able to maintain full speed down the swells until having to reduce speed for the broken water off Tintagel Head. Cutting inside The Sisters rocks the lifeboat reached Bossiney inside half an hour, arriving at the same time asa helicopter from RAF Chivenor. Padstow's Tyne had also been launched to provide back-up and was making best speed towards the scene.

The swell was about 6ft high offshore, but was surging on to the rocky foreshore and breaking heavily.

By now the crew knew that they were looking for two people - the boy's father having gone into the water to help his son - and began to search along the rocky shore, paying particular attention to the caves.

Two caves proved to be empty, but Kenny Richards, the Port Isaac Coastguard auxiliary in charge, had identified one particular cave as a likely spot and directed the lifeboat towards it from a position on the rocks.

Glimpsed All three crew thought they could anchor and veer down into the cave, despite the sea conditions, and had actually reached the mouth of the cave and glimpsed the two casualties huddled at the back when disaster struck.

A large breaker bore down on the lifeboat, but Kevin Dingle kicked the lifeboat ahead to encourage the bow to lift, and the wave broke heavily just after the lifeboat had ridden it.

The next wave was the problem. It was described as 'a wall of water' and although Kevin kicked the engine ahead again to lift the bow the prop could not find any grip in the aerated water left from the first wave.

The lifeboat simply didn't lift to the sea, and a mass of solid green water swept through her with tremendous force, sweeping Kevin Dingle and Mike Edkins out over the stern.

Both men were dashed on the shore and swept into the cave. Mike Edkins was trapped for a while, wedged by his chest and back and, as the waves broke over him, he felt that he was starting to drown.

Kevin Dingle was more fortunate in that he did not become wedged, but he had to make a supreme effort and use the surge of the seas to climb to relative safety inside the cave. From here he was able to shout encouragement to the two casualties who were about 30ft away from him.

Meanwhile outside the cave Paul Pollington was left alone in the lifeboat, which had dragged her anchor and was now inside the cave mouth beingthrown against the roof with great force - breaking the canopy and an oar. Paul feared that she would be washed inside the cave and crush his fellow crew members.

The engine had stopped and was full of water, so Paul began to haul the lifeboat back out of the cave using the anchor warp.

This took considerable effort, but he managed it and, once outside the cave, began the post-capsize drill to restart the engine.

The downdraught from the helicopter had been blowing the lifeboat clear of the shore, but it moved away before Paul managed to restart the engine and the inflatable blew round broadside to the rocks. It was obvious that she had to be abandoned and the helicopter moved in to winch Paul to safety.

The lifeboat was washed steadily into the cave, hitting Mike Edkins on the way with such force that it knocked him free from the rocks which trapped him and allowing him to climb up close to Kevin Dingle.

Recede The D class began to break up, but the wreckage took some force out of the waves as they came into the cave. It was now about 1800.

Inside the cave conditions were extremely unpleasant. Mike and Kevin knew that they had to wait for the tide to recede before they could even attempt to get out, and they and the casualties had to endure fumes from the lifeboat's ruptured fuel tanks and the tremendous air pressure as the waves surged into the cave.

A helicopter from RNAS Culdrose and the Padstow lifeboat arrived at about this time, and although those ashore were convinced that it was impossible to get into the cave it did not stop Padstow's coxswain Alan Tarby trying to float a fender and then the small inflatable X boat down into the entrance, or the helicopter from trying to float a lifejacket in on a line.

All efforts were unsuccessful and with high water at 1839 and darkness falling everyone settled down for a very anxious wait.

TheTyneheldstation off thecave, illuminating the mouth with her searchlight, while coxswain Alan Tarby fought to keep her in position as close as he dared in the heavy swells. He estimated them at about 15ft high, although those ashore thought they were nearer 20ft.

The cliff rescue team started to make their preparations and positioned themselves about 150ft above the entrance - where they were joined by other Coastguards, most of the Port Isaac crew and helpers and even the Honorary Secretary of Rock lifeboat station.

Relief Finally, at about 2130 the tide had fallen enough for the crew members inside the cave to help the casualties towards the inside of the entrance and for the Coastguard team to reach the outside.

There was great relief when all four were brought out safely with only relatively minor injuries and airlifted to hospital. The lifeboat crew were shocked, badly bruised and suffering from inhaling petrol fumes but were discharged later that night.

The casualties were also shocked and bruised, and were suffering from hypothermia. The father had a dislocated shoulder and both were detained in hospital.

A replacement lifeboat was sent from RNLI headquarters and by 0300 the next morning the station was operating normally again - even before the wreckage of the ill-fated D517 had been recovered with the aid of the cliff rescue team. She was so severely damaged and wedged in position that she had to be cut up and dismantled before the wreckage could be removed..