RECALLING the dramatic rescue of young children caught out by rising tides, a volunteer has told of life as an RNLI volunteer.

Jack Lidster-Woolf has been a volunteer crew member at Southend RNLI for almost four years.

The 31-year-old signed up in search of experiences to contrast his desk-based job in marketing.

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With 147 RNLI launches last year, Southend is the UK’s busiest coastal station, and the time given by volunteers like Mr Lidster-Woolf is vital to keep residents and visitors safe.

“Like many who join, I signed up to help save lives,” Mr Lidster-Woolf, a Leigh resident, said.

“Out at sea it can get very dramatic. Recently we were called out to a family with young children that were stranded a mile out to sea on the mud flats after being caught out by the tide.

“Thankfully, we are equipped with a hovercraft here at Southend, so we were able to get out there just in time before anything awful could happen.

“The children were in floods of tears and of course were very worried, but we were able to get them back safely which was very rewarding.”

Teams at the station are busy all year round, and on March 22 were called into action when members of the public heard cries for help off the Westcliff coast.

A search of the area proved unfruitful until a 999 call reported three people were in a boat down the estuary due to the outgoing tide.

The RNLI were able to swiftly bring the boat and those on board to safety. 

“It’s so easy to get into danger by the water – the crew and I see first-hand the serious situations that people find themselves in, and where a few minutes could make all the difference,” Mr Lidster-Woolf added.

In another example of how treacherous the sea can, a mother and child were rescued off Southend seafront after they had got into difficulties in their dinghy in August of last year.

The woman, who was suffering with symptoms of hyperthermia, had jumped into the water to hold onto nearby moored boats, while the child remained in the dinghy.

And on February 6, 2021, teams acted swiftly to assist a person who had become stuck in the mud near Southend pier, returning them safely to shore where the ambulance service were waiting to treat the casualty.