Lifeboat Heroes : Outstanding RNLI Rescues from Three Centuries

The RNLI is at the forefront of saving lives around Britain's coasts.

Edward Wake-Walker describes 16 dramatic rescues spanning 200 years in the RNLI's distinguished history.

The earliest story is that of Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI, who rescued all 17 crew and passengers from the Fortroendet aground in 1827.

A more recent account concerns helicopter winch man, Bill Deacon, who died after saving the last ten men from the freighter Green Lily in a hurricane in 1997, and coxswain Hewitt Clark who brought his lifeboat alongside the ship and saved five of her crew.