IT'S almost a century old, but a long-retired lifeboat is about to take to the water again ? and this time it?s coming to the aid of the RNLI.

The lovingly-restored William Riley will set out on Thursday on a four-day, 60-mile voyage down the North-East coast, and could raise £50,000 for the lifeboat charity.

At the oars during the journey will be the charity fundraising group the Ales Angels, from the Blue Bell pub, in York, as well as lifeboat crew members from Tynemouth, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Staithes and Runswick.

It is the first major outing for the old lifeboat following a two-year restoration by the Whitby Historic Lifeboat Trust, paid for by donations and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The William Riley was stationed at Upgang from 1909 for ten years and then moved to nearby Whitby, where she served until 1931.

She played a major role in the famous SS Rohilla rescue in October 1914, when she had to be hauled overland and lowered 200ft down a cliff to be launched. Of the 229 people on board the stricken hospital ship, 145 were saved.

After decommissioning, the William Riley had a chequered history. At one point she was converted into a motor cruiser and was even rumoured to have taken part in the Dunkirk evacuation.

By 2005, she was a derelict hulk sitting on a grass bank in Devon, but she was found and identified by Dave Charlton, of the Whitby Historic Lifeboat Trust, who spotted her on an internet auction site.

One of the driving forces behind the restoration, former Whitby lifeboat coxswain Pete Thomson, will be part of the crew on this week?s voyage.

?She was in a bad state when we found her in Devon, and restoring her has been a real labour of love, ? he said.

?A lthough the historic lifeboat trust is completely separate from the RNLI, we are hoping the William Riley will help raise considerable funds for the charity, starting with this event. ? He added: ?The Ales Angels have really got behind it and I know they?re working hard, both to raise funds and to train for the event.

?It?s great that lifeboat crew members have got involved as well, and they?ll be raising money for their own stations. I?m sure they?ll all be glad to get back to their own modern, high tech RNLI lifeboats once the row is finished. ? For more on the William Riley, go to whlt. co. uk RoutesandtimesfortheWilliamRiley?sjourney Thursday Launch from South Shields Sailing Club at 1pm.

Arrive Sunderland Marina at 5pm.

Friday Launch from Sunderland Marina at 2pm.

Arrive Hartlepool Marina at 6pm.

Saturday Launch from Hartlepool at 2pm.

Arrive at Staithes Harbour at 6pm.

Sunday Launch from Staithes Harbour at 1pm.

Arrive at Whitby Harbour at 3pm.

*Times are approximate only and the event is weather dependent. In the case of bad weather, the William Riley will be rowed on the rivers Tyne, Tees and Esk