An 11-year-old girl and her father were surfing on holiday in North Cornwall when the high tide swept them away. It was early evening on 10 August when a horrified mother watched her daughter and husband drifting further and further away from her. She alerted the emergency services immediately When the St Agnes lifeboat crew heard of the surfers in trouble they were determined to come to the rescue. However, launching the D class lifeboat was no mean feat as high tide meant that the area was restricted to a narrow slipway. It took considerable skill by Helmsman Andrew Northcote, his crew, Rory Bushe and Carey Morgan, and six shore helpers to launch Blue Peter IV.

Once launched, it was not an easy passage. Andy Northcote, on his first shout as helmsman, praised his fellow lifeboatmen: The crew were excellent, riding the boat extremely well in those conditions. I had full confidence in them.' He also praised the performance of the boat, saying that both crew and boat 'got a bit of a pounding' on the 20-minute passage.

On their approach, the crew saw the Royal Navy search and rescue helicopter hovering around the cliffs at Perranporth and knew that the casualties must be in the caves. The helicopter had spotted the surfers, but could not get to them because of a rock overhang.

Two off duty Perranporth RNLI Beach Rescue lifeguards had also launched their Arancia rescue boat. As the D class was nearly on the scene, the Beach Rescue boat acted as a safety boat, working with the lifeboatmen.

Blue Peter IV reached the cave entrance.

Familiar with the area, the lifeboat crew knew there were no underwater obstructions, but there was a 1-2m swell and considerable surf of about 2m around the entrance of the cave. They were aware that the girl was asthmatic and decided that there was no time to lose.

Approaching on the back of a wave, Andrew drove the lifeboat into the cave and with the power of the engine, he forced the front of the lifeboat onto the rock ledge at the back of the cave. Carey held the vessel against the rock while Rory helped the two casualties into the lifeboat.

When all were safely on board, Andrew waited for a wave to lift the boat, and used brute strength and considerable skill to reverse out of the cave. After the rescue he commented that he didn't worry about how dangerous it all was: 'With all the backwash we almost got sideswiped. I really didn't have time to think like that. I saw a lull in the conditions and went for it.1 The crew checked the casualties. Both were suffering from mild hypothermia and the girl was suffering from a tight chest.

The crew gave her oxygen and took the pair ashore as quickly as possible to an ambulance crew and a relieved mother, only 25 minutes after launching. The lifeboatmen realised that the job was done when they reached the shore safely and got applause and cheers from a crowd that had gathered on the clifftop.

Andy Northcote was awarded the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum, and said: 'We were stoked. You don't think about awards but when we were told I thought at first it was a wind up.' Andy stressed the important role of the launch team and the other rescue services involved: The teamwork was second to none.' Rory and Carey received letters of thanks from the Chairman, the shore helpers received a letter of appreciation from the Chief Executive, and the operations director sent the two off-duty lifeguards a letter of appreciation. At the crew's annual dinner in December, a simple but poignant message from the rescued father and daughter was read out to the lifeboat crew: 'We are thrilled to learn of the awards to the brave lifeboatmen Andy, Rory and Carey. We're deeply grateful to them for rescuing us from the cave that night - they risked their lives to save ours.'THE LIFEBOAT D class lifeboat D-453 Blue Peter IV Funding: Proceeds from a Blue Peter TV appeal 1993/94 THE CREW Helmsman Andrew Northcote Crew members Rory Bushe, Carey Morgan Shore crew Gavin Forehead, Michael Williams, John Gunkle, Clive Sandall, Steve Bunt, James Noonan, Dewi Richards ST AGNES LIFEBOAT STATION Established: 1968 Previous RNLI medals: Silver medal in 1978 THE CASUALTY THE LIFEBOAT D class lifeboat D-453 Blue Peter IV Funding: Proceeds from a Blue Peter TV appeal 1993/94 THE CREW Helmsman Andrew Northcote Crew members Rory Bushe, Carey Morgan Shore crew Gavin Forehead, Michael Williams, John Gunkle, Clive Sandall, Steve Bunt, James Noonan, Dewi Richards ST AGNES LIFEBOAT STATION Established: 1968 Previous RNLI medals: Silver medal in 1978 THE CASUALTY 2 surfers THE CONDITIONS Weather: Cloudy; visibility: Good Wind: Force 5; Sea state: Rough THE CONDITIONS Weather: Cloudy; visibility: Good Wind: Force 5; Sea state: Rough.