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The RSPCA award Hayling Island RNLI crew
for saving horses.
Lifeboat crew at Hayling Island RNLI station
were presented with the RSPCA’s Certificate
of Merit at a ceremony held on 8th
February at Hayling Island lifeboat Station.
The rescue took place last summer on 16th
July 2003. At dusk four horses with saddles
were spotted without riders on the East
Winner Bank just off the west end of Hayling
Island. Solent Coastguard requested the
launch of the RNLI Hayling Island Atlantic B
lifeboat “Betty Battle” as there was
concern for the safety of both the riders
and the horses. Shortly afterwards the
Hayling Island relief D-class lifeboat “John
Edmunds” was also launched to assist as it
was apparent that the horses were stranded
on the East Winner Bank in a rising tide.
Fortunately the riders were safely ashore.
The lifeboat crew using flares, torches and
the fire brigade’s thermal imaging equipment
were able to find the horses in the dark and
guide two of the animals to the shore. A
third horse was towed by the D-class
lifeboat back to safety where a veterinary
surgeon was waiting to check the condition
of the animals. Sadly one horse did not
survive and was found dead in the water. The
horse that was towed to the shore was saved
as a result of Helm, Paul Lewis, who was
acting as a crew member on that night,
entering the water, inflating his lifejacket
and then putting his body under the horses
head. The lifeboats were on service for 3
hours. The crew from both the Atlantic 75 B
Class lifeboat the D Class lifeboat and the
lifeboat crew on the shore received the
award.
Two of the horses and their owners were
reunited with their rescuers at the
ceremony. This was the first time the horses
have been near the water since last summer
and were very nervous. Sue Simms, one of the
owners, said “The crew are complete heroes.
They saved three of our horses. We are
absolutely delighted that their heroism has
been recognised in this way and we will be
eternally grateful for what they did on that
night.”
The presentations was be made by Chief
Inspector Paul Williams from the RSPCA in
the presence of the
Mayor of Havant Borough Council, Councillor Mrs. Hilary
Farrow and Mayoress, Councillor Mrs. Elaine
Toghill
and representatives from local RNLI fund
raising branches and other local groups.
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