Whitby RNLI rescue people cut off by tide near Robin Hood's Bay

On Saturday November 5, Whitby RNLI were called out to two walkers who were stranded between Robin Hood's Bay and Boggle Hole.

The rescue was the first shout as helm for volunteer crew member Leah Hunter.

The two walkers called the Coastguard after realising they had been cut off by the tide and scrambled up a muddy bank to safety. The crew were able to do a beach landing with the D class lifeboat and transfer the casualties to a nearby slipway in Robin Hood's Bay.

Leah recently passed her assessment to become a helm on Whitby's inshore lifeboat. The helm is in command of the boat and the crew on board they also usually steer the boat.

Leah said: 'I was excited to go on my first shout as helm and put my training to the test. The casualties were able to provide really detailed information about their location which helped us to find them very quickly.

She added: 'The main challenge was getting them down the slippy bank as we wanted to ensure that both the crew and casualties were safe as we transferred them to the lifeboat.'

The tide comes in quickly along the stretch of beach between Whitby and Boggle Hole, and Whitby RNLI have responded to numerous shouts this year to walkers who have found themselves in difficulty.

The crew say to always check the tide times and allow plenty of time to reach a safe exit point, and to always carry a means of calling for help - even the most experienced walkers can find themselves in trouble.

They advise that if you are in trouble, to dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.