A LIFEBOAT charity held its annual new year event in which boats from the district met up.

RNLI’s from Clacton, Walton and Frinton, and Harwich met up to celebrate the new year in one of the few events residents could see all of Tendring’s lifeboats at the same time.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Top Drawer - The Peter and Lesley-Jane Nicholson Tamar class lifeboat in Walton.Top Drawer - The Peter and Lesley-Jane Nicholson Tamar class lifeboat in Walton. (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)

The boats met on Sunday, January 8, at Walton Pier between 10.30am and 11.30am with pictures being taken of waving crew members.

Lifeboats in attendance included Clacton’s Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat and D class lifeboat, Walton and Frinton’s Tamar class lifeboat, Harwich’s Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat and Severn class lifeboat.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Say Cheese - Volunteers on a B-class lifeboatSay Cheese - Volunteers on a B-class lifeboat (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)

A spokesman for Clacton RNLI said: “What a fantastic morning at Walton for our Lifeboats, especially the all-weather types, RNLI Walton & Frinton with the Tamar. RNLI Harwich with the Severn.”

On the day as Harwich volunteers were preparing for the annual meet up, their pagers sounded for the first time this year.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Preparation - Volunteers releasing a lifeboat at the meet up.Preparation - Volunteers releasing a lifeboat at the meet up. (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)

The UK Coastguard had received reports of a 16 man inflatable lifeboat adrift six miles off Felixstowe Pier and requested the crew of the Albert Brown all-weather lifeboat ensure no one was aboard the craft and to try and identify its origins.

While en-route the crew of the Albert Brown were informed that a wind farm vessel was also proceeding to the inflatable, having heard the call over the radio. They had lost one of their life rafts four days earlier.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: All Aboard - Crew members on the Peter and Lesley-Jane Nicholson Tamar class lifeboatAll Aboard - Crew members on the Peter and Lesley-Jane Nicholson Tamar class lifeboat (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)

The wind farm vessel on arrival identified the raft as theirs, and safely recovered it whilst the Albert Brown stood by incase needed.

Once this had been achieved safely the Albert Brown was released at 10:40am and proceeded to Walton on the Naze to meet up with the flank stations lifeboats and Harwich’s inshore lifeboat Tierney, Harvey, and Sonny Reid.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Meet Up - Volunteers on B and D-Class lifeboats in WaltonMeet Up - Volunteers on B and D-Class lifeboats in Walton (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)

Clacton RNLI also held a lifeboat training launch at the annual meeting event, in addition to the training and maintenance evening held a few days before.

The initial training and maintenance evening included the servicing of the crew’s life jackets.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Rescue - The Albert Brown all weather lifeboat was called out earlier in the day.Rescue - The Albert Brown all weather lifeboat was called out earlier in the day. (Image: Ron Bell/Camera Club)