The Summer months have proved to be a busy time for our lifesavers – as many of our supporters’ emails show.

'It happened in seconds'

On Wednesday 24 July my son, Tad, who is 12, drifted out on his inflatable ring on Tresaith Beach, Ceredigion. It all happened in seconds, due to a wind that we had dangerously underestimated. Tad can only just swim and was quickly out of his depth. His godmother gave chase, but he was quickly moving out to sea. The lifeguard on duty, Lisa, acted swiftly and calmly, paddling out to Tad, reassuring him, and towing him back to shore. She saved my son's life.

I would like to say a huge thank you to her, from all of us, especially Tad! The lifeguards are very skilled and vigilant, and do a wonderful job. I hope this story will help warn people how quickly inflatables can travel when there is a wind. We could never have caught him up by swimming.
Paula Brackstone

'He is recovering well'

On 9 July your lifeguards provided emergency treatment for our sonin-law at Porthcurno Beach before the air ambulance arrived to take him to The Royal Cornwall Hospital. Thanks to your wonderful staff he is recovering well after surgery. Please convey our most grateful thanks for helping to save his life for without them the outcome could have been more serious. We shall continue our support of RNLI but with the experience of the personal contact with the services you provide.
Mr and Mrs B Champion

'I helped keep a man afloat’

I have just got round to reading the Summer edition of the Lifeboat magazine due to having a hectic Summer. It made interesting reading – especially with regards to your articles on drowning. On 29 July I helped keep a man afloat who had become swept out to sea from the beach and we remained with him in the water until the lifeboat arrived to take us back ashore. Reading your articles made it even more relevant when I returned home. I am now even more aware of the difficulties people can find themselves in when participating in, what would seem, innocent pastimes at the beach. Keep up the fantastic work.
Andy Lucas

'So glad you are all out there'

Me, my wife and daughter and three friends were rescued by the fabulous Moelfre lifeboat on Saturday 6 June when our motorboat was swamped by waves off Angelsey. We had taken on water and managed to get to the rocky shore before the electrics cut out. I had managed to put out a Mayday to Holyhead Coastguard via VHF but, due to the proximity of the cliffs, we then lost radio contact. An RAF Sea King and the Moelfre lifeboat attended and got both families on the lifeboat. I was escorted back in the boat by the station's Y boat. My wife and daughter were winched up to the helicopter and taken to Bangor hospital but were released later that day. Thankfully, we are all safe and well. We cannot thank everyone involved enough. The lifeboat crew were so professional and wonderful. The RAF personnel and the volunteer coastguard staff were brilliant. We are so glad that you are all out there.
Mike King