Fishermen saved by inshore lifeboatWhen four anglers slipped into a rough sea near Newcastle Co Down it took the combined efforts of the station's D class inshore lifeboat and its Mersey class all-weather boat to snatch them to safety.

The D class was working close inshore in a heavy ground swell, and the skill and judgement of her helmsman, John Lowery, earned him the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum.It was just before 1800 on Sunday 16 August when head launcher Peter Heaver saw an anxious couple park outside the nearby Coastguard station. They were looking for help for four anglers who were in the water about half-a-mile to the south at a place known as Maggy's Leap.

He ran across to theHe ran across station to phone the Coastguard, who had just received a 999 call about the incident and, as the pagers were set off, set about readying first the D class and then the Mersey.

Helmsman John Lowery and crew member Brendan Rooney were nearby and arrived very quickly. They paused briefly atthe bottom of the slip with the boat in the water hoping that an extra crew member would arrive.

With people in the water there was no time to spare and when Frances Morgan, the Coxswainof the Mersey arrived, it was decided to head for the scene with only two people aboard.

It took only minutes to reach Maggy's Leap where the lifeboat crew found five people in the water - Ian Williamson, another angler, having gone into the water to help when he realised that the four casualties were in trouble.

A group of people had gathered about 10ft above the men in the water, who were clinging to garden hoses which had been lowered to them.

The wind was Force 6 to 7, and although it was off the land the seas were confused at the base of therocky shore. The waves were being refracted around the headland and combined with the backwash from the shore were creating a nasty 6ft sea.

John Lowery knew the area well and was aware of a submerged rock nearby, so he approached carefully from the north-east, passing to the south of the rock.

The casualties were beingbuffeted against the sloping rocks and were now in two groups. Helmsman Lowery decided that the group of three would be easiest to approach at the first attempt and quickly put the inf latable's starboard side alongside the rocks near to the group, making sure that the lifeboat could not crush them against the shore.

One man was supporting himself, and another was being supported by the third.

With the lifeboat bouncing against the rocks in the confused sea the fittest man was brought in and put up forward, and the second, who was injured, was brought in over the quarter.

The third man, Ian Williamson, crawled in over the transom. He was dressed in a survival suit and had gone into the water to help the others.

All the while the lifeboat was being buffeted, heeling sharply to port as the seareceded to leave the starboard side high on the rocks. The engine skeg touched the rocks but the outboard was in neutral and kept running.

John Lowery now had a difficult decision.

There were five people in the D class, two of them in a poor condition, and two more people in the water nearby.

The Mersey had arrived by now and was standing off about 100 yards away, to avoid adding her wake to the confused seas. It would have been dangerous to attempt to pick up the remaining people so Helmsman Lowery decided to transfer the casualties to the all-weather boat - moving away towards it to cries of indignation from the helpers on the cliff top.

Within a few moments she was alongside, the casualties transferred and, in response to a call from John Lowery for a third crew member. Mark Poland had joined the D class crew from the Mersey.

One of the men was on the verge of unconsciousness and, with the station so close, Coxswain Morgan decided to take the Mersey back immediately for medical help.

The inflatable quickly moved back to the shore, where the remaining two men were in a hollow under an overhanging rock. Putting her bow into a crevice between them Helmsman Lowery was able to hold the inflatable in position while one man was brought aboard each side. The motion was still severe, but with the lifeboat's stern now facing the seas she was a little easier to manoeuvre.

Once the remaining casualties were aboard the lifeboat was able to ease astern away from the shore, but could not avoid the submerged rock this time. The engine struck the obstruction, damaging the skeg and propeller, but continued to run.

Hypothermia It was 1820 when the D class started for home, the two crew members attending the casualties. They were both suffering from hypothermia and abrasions and one had a severe, bleeding head wound.

Ashore, the lifeboat station had become a casualty treatment area with crew members, station officials and Coastguards helping two Doctors and an intensive care nurse - all of whom had been in the area and volunteered to help.

At 1838 an ambulance arrived, and a few minutes later a helicopter landed just outside the town. Eventually all five casualties were safely on their way to hospital, two who were severely hypothermic to Belfast by helicopter and the remaining three to a local hospital by ambulance.

A replacement engine was delivered to the station that evening, but despite the punishment meted out to the D class as she was pounded against the rocks she suffered surprisingly little damage - there were some abrasions to the hull and the VHP radio aerial had been damaged as the second man had been pulled aboard.The lifeboat: D class D430 (Relief lifeboat) The crew: Thanks on Vellum Helmsman John Lowery Chairman's letter of thanks Crew member Brendan Rooney Crew Member Mark Poland Ian Williamson.