Workington RNLI team honoured

The Sir John Fisher tows the stricken George Lou N in December 2011 Credit: RNLI

Workington RNLI crew members have been awarded for their skill and bravery following a dramatic rescue in storm conditions.

Coxswain John Stobbart and crew member Andy Rogers both received the Vellum award at the ceremony in Workington today.

The award comes after they, and the rest of Workington RNLI, risked their lives to rescue a man from the George Lou N fishing vessel in Whitehaven harbour in December 2011.

The vessel was saved as was the life of a seriously injured fisherman on board. The seven other crewmembers on board were also landed to safety.

Mr Rogers jumped onto the fishing boat from the jetty at great personal risk to administer first aid and advise the fishing boat skipper and the lifeboat.

John Stobbart managed to take the fishing boat in tow in very difficult conditions and steer it through the sea lock into the safety of the inner harbour, without causing any significant damage to the fishing boat or lifeboat, to a berth where the emergency services could board the fishing boat.

The casualty had a very serious head injury caused by a whiplashing wire mooring rope which broke during the period when the boat was being buffeted in the outer harbour.