He has taken on some of the most powerful sportsmen on the planet, but when it came to tackling the water, England rugby star James Haskell had to admit defeat.

James put his weight behind the launch of Respect the Water, an RNLI campaign designed to raise coastal safety awareness among men. More people die around our coasts than those lost in cycling accidents – and, as reported in the last issue of the Lifeboat, men aged between 25 and 65 are those most at risk.

The new campaign was trialled around Hampshire, Sussex and Kent throughout August, and highlighted the key causes of drowning: rip currents, cold water shock, slips/falls, alcohol and fatigue.

Among the advertisements and activities that helped share the safety messages was a punchbag challenge. James (pictured) was the first to have a go, and eventually tired as he tried to fight against 250kg (quarter of a tonne) of water. Beer mats, pint glasses and advertisements were also used to share safety messages, all in a bid to encourage more people to give the water the respect it deserves – and prevent tragedies. For more information, visit RNLI.org/respectthewater.