Young Harry’s on crest of a wave in bid to raise funds for lifeboats

With a new £2m lifeboat on show, it was a very special harbour Day on Sunday for a Northumberland community.

And organisers of the day at Amble found an equally special individual to open the event.

the honours went to 10-year-old harry Mascall, who is on a mission to visit all of the 238 RNLi lifeboat stations in Britain and ireland to raise the profile of, and drum up funds for, the organisation.

Amble was the 160th lifeboat station which harry, from Cheshire, has now visited.

Seahouses in Northumberland is next on his list while in the North East, and so far he has raised almost £5,000 for the RNLi.

it all started for harry on his seventh birthday when he was captivated by a lifeboat while on holiday in Cornwall.

he said: “i love lifeboats and it’s been a brilliant adventure so far. i’ve met some amazing people.”

harry inspected Amble’s new Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat, which in May was named the Elizabeth and Leonard.

the crew of the lifeboat then took him for a spin around the coast.

Locals in Amble and in places like Alnwick and Alnmouth raised £200,000 towards the cost of the vessel.

Jill Faulconbridge, treasurer of the Amble Lifeboat Fundraisers, said: “harry was really chuffed to be asked to open our harbour Day and was so excited.

“it is amazing that, three years after he started, he is still so keen.

“Raising the £200,000 towards the new lifeboat was a tremendous community effort and it is truly a community boat.” ■■to donate towards harry’s cause go to www. justgiving.com/ harrymascall