A LIFEBOATMAN who put his own life on the line to save a holidaymaker from being pounded to death against a harbour wall has been honoured for his courage.

Sean Baxter, 56, stayed with the injured man as they were repeatedly hammered against Staithes’ North Pier until the inshore lifeboat could manoeuvre close enough to pick them up.

Now he is to be awarded a Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum for his bravery while the crew who completed the rescue will receive a Chairman’s Framed Letter of Thanks in recognition of their skill and teamwork.

The Northern Echo: HONOURED: Sean Baxter. Picture: Nigel Millard/RNLI.
HONOURED: Sean Baxter. Picture: Nigel Millard/RNLI

The drama happened last August when Bury couple Louisa Barrow, 44, and Peter Severs, 49, were swept off the pier and into the sea on the first day of their holiday.

The Northern Echo: CREW: The Staithes and Runswick crew involved in the rescue. R-L, Sean Baxter, Richard Pennell, Lee Jackson and Stephen Iredale. Picture: Nigel Millard/RNLI
CREW: The Staithes and Runswick crew involved in the rescue. R-L, Sean Baxter, Richard Pennell, Lee Jackson and Stephen Iredale. Picture: Nigel Millard/RNLI

“The wave hit us like a train,” remembered Mr Severs. “It all went black and then I heard Louisa screaming: ‘I can’t swim. Don’t let me drown’.”

As soon as Mr Baxter realised there were people in the water, he instructed the lifeboat crew to launch and then ran to where they had been washed into the water.

Ms Barrow was rescued by a member of the public and Mr Baxter told more onlookers to take her to the nearby lifeboat station where she could be looked after.

He then saw Mr Severs clinging to a ladder on the harbour wall as waves broke over and submerged him. He had a broken thigh bone and could not move, but had managed to lash himself to the ladder with a rope.

The waves that were throwing Mr Severs against the wall were also putting Mr Baxter and the people trying to help in danger.

So Mr Baxter evacuated the pier while he stayed with Mr Severs, both taking the full force of several waves as they waited for the lifeboat to reach them.

It took all the skill and teamwork of helmsman Lee Jackson, 39, and crew members Stephen Iredale, 49, and Richard Pennell, 44, to carefully manoeuvre the lifeboat through the large swell, shallow water and breaking waves.

The wave conditions were such that two attempts had to be aborted before the pair could be plucked from the water.

Ms Barrow said: “I honestly thought we were going to die. The RNLI lads were amazing – they saved our lives, simple as that.”

Mr Baxter said: “I’m very honoured to be recognised in this way but I am accepting the award on behalf of all the crew.

“Any lifeboat rescue is always a great team effort, and it was particularly satisfying on this occasion to get such a positive result from what was a potentially life-threatening situation.”

*To see video of the incident filmed by onlooker David Naylor, go to northernecho.co.uk