Fisherman plucked to safety by D class as night falls T Lifeboats he three crew members of Sunderland's D class inshore lifeboat received a framed letter of thanks from David Acland, the RNLI's Chairman following a service in poor weather and wintry conditions just before Christmas last year.

The D class had been called out at 1615 on 20 December when a man who had been fishing was swept into the sea at a place known as Hendon Tanks, just over a mile from the station.

Launching into heavy, breaking surf caused by a north westerly Force 6 to 7 the D class headed for the scene, with the station's all-weather Trent also launching to back up the smaller boat in view of the conditions and failing light.

When the crew of the D class, Helmsman Michael Cowe and crew members Martin Barry and Brian Clark-Barkess, left the harbour they had to position their weight carefully and adjust their speed as they picked their way through heavy seas on the port beam to reach the casualty.

A police helicopter arrived on the scene and was able to locate the man with its infra-red sensors, directing the inflatable to him.

The location was particularly difficult, less than half a cable from a curving sea wall which was It took the combined efforts of all three lifeboatmen to get the casualty into the inflatable' reflecting the 16ft swell to create frequent, peaking waves.

Although the large middle-age man was wearing a floatation suit it had become swamped and he was barely floating. The D class ran in and Brian Clark-Barkess went into the water to assist the helpless man. It took the combined efforts of all three lifeboatmen to get the casualty into the inflatable before she was able to head offshore to get clear of the confused seas.

Here she transferred the man to the all-weather lifeboat - a difficult task in the large seas - and from there he was airlifted to hospital suffering from hypothermia and an injured ankle..