Penlee lifeboat has a special place in the hearts of the people of Penwith.

So it was no surprise to see the hundreds who turned up to witness the naming of the latest of these lifeboats, the Ivan Ellen, down in Newlyn on Tuesday. We heard glowing tributes to the work of the crews and boats over the years, and of course the courageous act of selflessness that led to the loss of the Solomon Browne with all hands back in 1981 - a day that is etched into the souls of all who lived in those parts then.

And coxswain Neil Brockman proclaimed: She's a tiger, a claim backed up by details of her performance capabilities by one of the speakers.

This is indeed a boat of which we can all be proud.

The crew has confidence in here, she is one of the most modern in the RNLI fleet and has already responded successfully to nine shouts since coming on station in March.

We have no doubt she will carrying on the towering tradition of service set by other boats and crews that have preceded her.

article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN

Comments (0)