A PAIR of dedicated volunteers are collectively celebrating 100 years of service at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Tony Jamieson and Bob O’Neill, who both started volunteering in 1969, now work at Redcar lifeboat station.

Mr Jamieson was part of the lifeboat crew involved in the grounding of the giant tanker Freja Svea in 1993.

Mr O’Neill, who is now heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the lifeboat station, joined the RNLI as a crew member before climbing up the ranks.

Celebrating their long-serving dedication, Mike Picknett, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar lifeboat station said: “We are extremely privileged to have Bob and Tony here at Redcar. To complete 50 years of volunteering is outstanding.”

“There’s been a lifeboat at Redcar since 1802, so they have both been involved in almost a quarter of the history of lifesaving on this stretch of coast.

“If anyone was to ask me what we look for in our volunteers, I’d just point them in the direction of those two.

“Their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication are everything that’s good about the RNLI.”

The pair have since received the RNLI’s Excellence in Volunteering Award.