4th January 2017 - Looe RNLI's 'superheroes' to the rescue.

It would have been a scene reminiscent of the Batman and Robin sketch from the BBC's 'Only Fools and Horses' TV show,

In the early hours of New Year's Day several of the volunteer Looe RNLI crewmembers
were seen dashing through the streets in fancy dress responding to a shout

The initial press release captured the media's attention
So during tonight's training session, 4 of the super heroes re-enacted how they responded to the pager.

Looe RNLI superheroes on Buller Quay.

My thanks to

Superman aka Jay Curtis
Spiderman aka Robert Deakin
Robin aka Brian Bowdler and
Bananaman aka Matthew Jaycock

for being good sports in adopting their super hero roles during last Wednesday's training evening re-enacting some
of the crew running to Looe Lifeboat Station in costume responding to the pager at 00.50 New Year's day.

Looe RNLI superheroes arrive at the boathouse.

Looe RNLI superheroes with the D Class inshore lifeboat D-741 Ollie Naismith.

Quoting from the RNLI Press release,

Still in their New Year's Eve fancy dress Superman, Spiderman, Donald Trump Banana Man and two Black Swans
were seen by amazed onlookers as they raced through Looe's busy and narrow streets to the boathouse responding to the pager.

The call came at 12.50am on New Year's Day, as many of the crew were heading home after the town's New Year celebrations.
The crew quickly changed out of their fancy dress and into their lifeboat kit and launched the Atlantic 85 class lifeboat 'Sheila & Dennis Tongue II'
to carry out a search, after four flares were fired between Hannafore and Looe Island.

Following an extensive search nothing was found and the lifeboat stood down at 1.45am.
On further investigation by the Coastguards it was found that the flares were fired from the shore at Hannafore.

David Haines, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Looe RNLI, says:
'We take this sort of incident very seriously.
We are always mindful that false alarms of this type may have more serious consequences as valuable resources were committed
and if a more serious shout had come in the ability to respond would have been less than desired.
Rescuers' lives are put at risk every time lifeboat crews are called out, in hazardous winter conditions,
to what they assume to be a genuine cry for help'.

The RNLI said it is an offence to fire distress flares other than if you are in distress and heavy fines may be imposed,
especially when resulting from a hoax call.

You can find out more about the RNLI and Looe Lifeboats on their websites.

All images © Ian Foster / fozimage