'I owe you everything' fifty years on a heartfelt thank you to the lifeboat crew that saved a Norfolk man's life

A grandfather from Norfolk has written to the lifeboat station where the crew saved his life in a force 10 gale 50 years ago to tell them: "I owe you everything."

Martin Stephen, was 21, when he almost died when he jumped into the sea to try and rescue his 11 year old cousin David Jeffrey, who had been swept off the rocks at the entrance to Dunbar harbour in Scotland on December 23, 1970.

Mr Stephen was unconscious and sinking beneath the waves when two Dunbar RNLI lifeboat crewman jumped into the water to grab him.

The rest of the crew then hauled the three men back on board and managed to get Mr Stephen breathing through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

The lifeboat searched for David's body but he was never found.

As the 50th anniversary of the rescue approaches, Mr Stephen a retired headteacher and writer has written to the current Dunbar lifeboat coxswain Gary Fairbairn to thank the crew.

Mr Stephen was a student in Sheffield and his family were in Dunbar, East Lothian, that year to spend Christmas with his aunt.

The tragedy occurred when he and his cousins David and Angus, 14, went to watch waves as high as 10 metres crash over the harbour wall.

Martin kept swimming but eventually lost consciousness but Angus raised the alarm and the lifeboat was launched.

The crew members David Brunton and Jonathan Alston who saved Mr Stephen were given bravery awards.

Mr Brunton has since died but his son Jamie says he is still very proud of what his Dad did that day. The only clue the family had was when he arrived home soaking wet.

Present day coxswain Gary Fairbairn said they were delighted to get Martin's letter

The final word on this remarkable story must go to Martin Stephen

And of David Brunton the man who saved his life. " Words fail me.No one asked him to jump in, yet he did"