A LIFEBOAT that played a key role in a dramatic rescue a century ago will be taking to the sea again this weekend.
The William Riley of Birmingham and Leamington will be rowed the 20 miles from Scarborough to Whitby on Saturday.
The annual fund-raising effort is taking place in memory of the man who started it – Scarborough’s Malcolm Colin Bell, who died in a diving accident off Hartlepool in 2009.
A team of 10, led by lifeboat coxswain Tom Clark, will be at the oars of the 105-year-old boat, which belongs to the Whitby Historic Lifeboat trust.
In 1914 the vessel it played a major part in rescuing occupants of the Rohilla hospital ship, off Whitby. She was hand-hauled from Upgang and lowered down a 200ft cliff for the daring mission. However of the 229 on board the ill-fated ship only 145 survived.
The former lifeboat now tours the country raising funds for the RNLI and other worthy causes.
The crew are being sponsored, with the proceeds going to the £200,000 appeal to help pay for a Supacat launch-and-recovery vehicle for Scarborough’s new lifeboat.
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