Cullercoats lifeboat station's newest recruit was so keen to join the crew that he applied on his 17th birthday - the minimum age for RNLI crew. Scott Jones has several seasons' experience as a life guard and had been lending a hand around the station for some time. Robert Oliver, senior helmsman, welcomed Scott's arrival. 'The heart of a lifeboat is its crew,' he said. 'We train and work towards the development of skills which will save lives at sea but a major part of the make-up of a lifeboatman is his commitment to the lifeboat.

Scott has already shown that he has that.' In common with all new recruits, Scott will now undergo a 12- month probation period before he can properly call himself a lifeboatman..