Lay priest recounts the dramatic Lyme lifeboat rescue at his Sea Sunday services

A dramatic sea rescue which made headlines in last week’s Midweek Herald was recounted in a special church service at the weekend.

A clergyman friend of RNLI volunteer press officer Richard Horobin asked for an example of the lifeboat crew’s activities for his Sea Sunday sermon.

He told him how the crew of the new high-speed lifeboat, Spirit of Loch Fyne, saved a 45-year-old kayaker from almost certain death off Axmouth, when he came close to drowning on July 1.

Inspired by the tale, the Gloucestershire-based lay priest John Exelby, told congregations at two of his churches how the lifeboat crew – Dave Street, Jon Broome, Tim Edwards and John Gage – had missed the Euro football final and gave up their Sunday evening to rescue the man..

Mr Horobin said: “I thought the rescue was a great example of the sacrifices made by our crews and just perfect for a sermon on Sea Sunday.”

Mr Exelby added:”Members of the congregations said the rescue story brought a sense of relevance and freshness to the talk, and one man said it was the best Sea Sunday sermon he had heard for many years.”