A ROUTINE Sunday morning RNLI training exercise resulted in one of its own crew members being ‘recovered’ by a lifeboat.

Waves engulfed a tractor used to launch lifeboats out to sea when its engine failed in rising tides near Redcar. The stranded driver was helped to safety at about 10.30am by colleagues who sailed to his aid on their lifeboat.

Dave Cocks from Redcar RNLI said: “During this morning’s regular training exercise our relief tractor suffered an engine failure. It is not a big deal. We recovered the driver by lifeboat.”

When the tide receded, the stricken tractor could be seen buried in sand up to the top of its wheels.

He added: “The tractor is designed to go into the sea but because the engine failed we decided to lift him out and the tractor will be recovered later.”

Eyewitness Matthew Richardson, whose two children were playing on the beach as the drama unfolded, said: “We could see out to see that the RNLI speed boat was doing a practise exercise. Then, along the stretch of beach from us we saw the tractor and trailer coming down the ramp and then reversing into the sea.

“It went backwards until it was about half submerged in the water and then waited there for about a quarter of an hour while the training exercise continued.

“It was obvious that the tide was coming in and the water was getting higher and higher up the side of the tractor. The driver tried to move it but you could see its wheels spinning, the only movement was it started to lean to one side. It was obviously stuck and smoke was coming out of the engine,” added Mr Richardson from Stockton who was among about 50 onlookers.

“By this time the water was quite high up the driver’s cab and there were waves crashing over the tractor.

“Thankfully, he managed to climb onto its roof so the speedboat could pull alongside and he was pulled to safety.

“It was dramatic, I think if the RNLI boat hadn’t been there it could have been a very perilous situation.”