Couple visit all 289 lifeboat stations in the UK

A couple from Surrey have completed their challenge of visiting every RNLI lifeboat station in the UK.

Allan and Helen Thornhill, from Smallfield, finished their journey in Poole on Sunday, which they began in 2024 to mark 200 years of the RNLI.

Allan said finishing the challenge was "bittersweet", but it would not be the end of their visits to the lifeboat stations.

The pair have raised nearly £4,500 along the way, which they say will make a huge difference to the RNLI - an organisation funded almost entirely by public donations.

Allan used to visit lifeboat stations while on holiday with his family as a child, and decided to take on the challenge of visiting every one after watching the BBC's Saving Lives at Sea with Helen.

But it has not all been plain sailing.

"We had a few scary moments, for example in western Scotland where we weren't sure if we were going to make it home or not," he said.

The couple said each station offered something unique, from the scenery to the welcome they received from volunteers.

"One that sticks in my mind is Hunstanton in Norfolk," Allan said.

"It was such a beautiful day, right on the beach and there were loads of crew there with us. It was a really nice visit, we also got to see an exercise.

"In terms of scenery, any of the stations in Western Scotland or Northern Ireland."

Despite completing all stations, the couple said they plan to continue visiting RNLI sites in the future.

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