Call to bring back Morecambe Bay rescue boat

8:27am Friday 7th November 2008

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THE Maritime and Coastguard Agency has said it has no plans to reinstate a rescue boat off the coast of Arnside, despite fears that lives are being put at risk without it.

The agency took the coastguard boat away for repairs in June and has now said it will hold a “limited public consultation” before deciding whether to return it, along with other coastguard boats dotted elsewhere around the country’s coastline.

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A petition calling for the vessel to be reinstated on the notoriously dangerous Kent estuary has been started by Cumbria county councillor Ian Stewart and South Lakeland district councillor Pru Jupe – who both cover the Arnside ward – and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, is urging residents to sign it.

“It’s an issue that the local community is very concerned about,” said Mr Farron.

At the end of September, a watersports enthusiast carried out a dramatic rescue on his jet ski after three walkers became trapped by Morecambe Bay’s fast-flowing tide.

Quick-thinking Tony Houghton, from Silverdale, had seen the stricken trio from the window of his nearby home and said the tide had been coming in “very fast”, closing in behind them and cutting them off.

He and his son Scott raced to the scene with their eight-person jet ski and saved the grateful walkers from “mortal danger”.

At the time, former coastguard operator George Crossman said the Government was “wrangling to save money on the coastguards”.

But Mark Clark, of the MCA, said the provision of coastguard boats was being reconsidered as part of a review of the agency’s services.

Mr Clark said he did not know when the public consultation would take place.