JANUARY 9TH. - LYTHAM - ST. ANNE’S, LANCASHIRE, AND NEW BRIGHTON, CHESHIRE. At 8.30 A.M. a message came from the Hoylake coastguard asking that the life-boat should go to an aeroplane reported down off Formby Point, and at 8.40 the Lytham - St. Anne’s motor life-boat Dunleary was launched. A strong N.W. breeze was blowing, with heavy gusts, and the sea was rough. On her way down the River Ribble, the life-boat saw H.M. Seilestier aground on the south wall, between the thirteenth and fourteenth mile, with a crew of six. It was then ahout 9.15 in the morning. The tide was falling, and the Seilestier would be in no danger until the flood, so the life-boat went on to the position given to look for the aeroplane. Meanwhile, at 8.10 the Hoylake coastguard had reported to the New Brighton station that two Spitfires had crashed off Formby, and the crew of the No. 2 motor life-boat Edmund and Mary Robinson was assembled. As soon as more precise information had been received about the position of the aeroplanes the motor life-boat was launched. It was then 8.38 in the morning.

She searched from Formby Point to Southp o r t a n d m e t a n d s p o k e t h e L y t h a m - St. Anne’s life-boat off Ainsdale. Neither life-boat could find any trace of the aeroplanes, and the New Brighton life-boat gave up the search at 12.15 in the afternoon and returned to her station, arriving at 2.10.

The Lytham-St. Anne’s life-boat returned to the Seilestier. It was now flood tide, but the Seilestier was still aground. The life-boat went alongside her and made fast, but while she was there the Seilestier’s dinghy broke adrift, so the life-boat cast off and picked her up. She then went alongside again, passed a veering line to the Seilestier and towed her off. As she was towing her upchannel the veering line parted, but the Seilestier now had one engine working, and was able to continue under her own power.

The life-boat returned to her station at 2 in the afternoon. - Rewards : Lytham-St.

Anne’s, £7 5s. and property salvage case ; New Brighton, £8 2s..