SHE may still only be eight, but you won’t find many more enthusiastic lifeboat supporters than Beth Williams. Challenged recently to undertake a sponsored one-kilometre swim in aid of the RNLI she went on to complete 1.5k.

And on Sunday she and her family made the 120-mile round trip from their home in Bruton to hand over the £150 raised from her 60 swimming pool length to officials at Minehead lifeboat station.

There Beth, her parents Sarah and Dave and her sister Sophie, 11, met crew members and watched the station’s Atlantic 85 and D class lifeboats launch on exercise.

Sarah said Beth’s fascination with the RNLI started at Bruton Primary School where she chose it as her subject for a project about charities.

“Since then she has been absolutely mad about lifeboats,” she said.

“Wherever we go on holiday she insists on going to the lifeboat station to see the boat: she’s a really devoted supporter.”

Minehead RNLI chairman Bryan Stoner said it had been a privilege to welcome Beth and her family to the station.

“One of the problems all of us involved with fundraising encounter these days is that the younger generation aren’t, by and large, tuned in to giving to charity in the normal course of events.

“To meet someone like Beth who clearly lives for the RNLI and understands the importance of charitable giving is a real pleasure.”