Ulverston Inshore Rescue - Cumbria UK - Lifeboats and Rescue Stations on Waymarking.com

In January 2002 a father and son from Dalton walked a few minutes out onto the sand and mud flats from Priory Point near Ulverston. They were on a fishing trip and were thought to be looking for bait. A thick fog rolled in and they became disorientated. The tide was on the way in.

Stewart Rushton, 51, realised that he and his son Adam, 9, were in trouble and phoned his wife who called the Coastguard. Despite frantic efforts from many people it proved impossible to locate or reach the pair who were stranded on a sand bank.

"A series of desperate calls were exchanged between Mr Rushton and the emergency services and a rescue operation was launched. A spokesman said: 'It became very distressing for both sides, we could hear the sound of water and the father shouting.' Dennis Laird, the coastguard's deputy station officer at Walney, said the sand was very soft and treacherous and visibility was reduced to 25 yards." (visit link)

Local people felt greatly touched by this loss and one result was the eventual creation of this small rescue group. They now have a base at Canal Foot, Ulverston on land kindly ‘donated’ by GlaxoSmithKline, which consists of one portacabin office and three container vessels. The portacabin office is used for meetings, training and the operations room in the event of an incident.

The rescue craft they have at the moment consist of two four-wheeled drive Quad bikes, a 4x4 Mobile Base Unit, an Arancia New Zealand Surf Rescue Boat, and a Humber Rescue Rib.

Morecambe Bay is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 310 km². The bay is notorious for its quicksand and fast moving tides.

A major tragedy occurred in February 2004. A group of some 35 workers, mostly Chinese, went out to the cockle banks in the afternoon and were cut off by the tide after dark. 21 bodies were subsequently recovered, though it is believed that two other people also died.

See also:
NW Mail: (visit link)
UIR: (visit link)

Name of the Lifeboat or station: Ulverston Inshore Rescue Adress: UIR Canal Foot Ulverston, Cumbria UK LA12 9EL Number of the Lifeboat: Not listed Callsign Marifoon: Not listed

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