WITH a record fundraising year almost behind them, Minehead RNLI supporters are working on plans for a new Lifeboat Day next summer.

They are going to revive the tradition of Lifeboat Day as a way of highlighting the work of the charity that saves lives at sea.

A successful appeal for donations towards a new £52,000 D class lifeboat has seen collections top £60,000 this year while lifeboat shop sales have grossed over £40,000.

Saturday, August 10 has been chosen as Lifeboat Day in Minehead when there will be street collections, demonstrations afloat by the crews and a full evening of entertainment in the lifeboat house.

Officials say they hope the event will go some way to alleviating disappointment at the disappearance of the two-day Harbourfest.

The station’s operations manager Dr John Higgie said: “Harbourfest was not an RNLI-organised event even though the profits from it represented a large proportion of our income, but we did run the raft race which was its focal point.

“Unfortunately as a result of incidents that have occurred during other lifeboat stations’ fund-raising activities the RNLI now imposes a much more restrictive health and safety and public liability protocol on such events.

“And clearly in terms of rescue cover and the safety of spectators we would have been unable to stage a traditional raft race within the scope of the new limitations.

“We are going to miss Harbourfest, though we fully appreciate the organisers’ decision not to stage it again.

"But we hope Lifeboat Day - which used to be celebrated at Minehead and is a regular feature at other RNLI stations – will prove just as much of an attraction for everyone, whether regular RNLI supporters or not.”