NEW LOOK AT ILFRACOMBE

Principal Officer for Search and Rescue, Peter Dymond, returned to the base where he served in 1967.

A major refurbishment project has been taking place at the Ilfracombe station over the past five months making it almost unrecognisable with a new kitchen, toilets, office, parking area, new vehicle, and up to date training facilities.

Within a few minutes of the ceremony being completed the team was called out to rescue a dog in distress.

The collie dog had followed a group of children down to the seafront but had jumped over rocks and into the sea. When it was unable to get back to shore, the coastguard crew was brought in to assist while Coastguard officials witnessed the call out.

Fortunately the dog's owner arrived to help with the rescue and the dog was safely brought back to land.