The 21-year-old sailing instructor is only the second woman to become a sea-going member of the life-saving team

A 21-year-old sailing instructor has become only the second woman to join the crew of the Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat.

Nikky Williams, the principal of the Lyme Regis Sea School, has just become a probationer crew member and will now embark on several months of training as she aims to join the fully qualified sea-going team at the lifeboat station.

Nikky said: ”I am absolutely chuffed to be joining the crew. I love being on the water, and joining the volunteer crew is such a worthwhile activity.”

Lifeboat Operation Manager Nick Marks said: “We are delighted to welcome Nikki aboard, and I wish her well as she starts to play a full part in our volunteer team.”

The first female crew member at Lyme Regis was Grace Wadsworth. She joined the team when she was 17, in 2008. She left after six years to pursue university commitments and to travel abroad.