South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade see busiest month ever in May following canoe callout
South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade has confirmed May was the team’s busiest month ever.
A call to assist two canoeists ended South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade’s busiest month ever over the weekend.
The group assisted the RNLI team at Tynemouth to support a pair who capsized their vessel just before 6pm on Sunday, May 31.
It was the team’s second call of the day following a request to support the RNLI following reports of a different vessel sinking. Following a search from both teams nothing was found and they were able to step down.
A statement from the brigade said: “The team’s second tasking of the day again with Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat was to a capsized inflatable canoe off Little Haven. When we arrived the two persons had made it safely to shore and the ILB had recovered the canoe.
“Both persons were safe and required no medical assistance. With that we were stood down to return to station.”
On the evening of Friday, May 29 the team were also supporting Sunderland RNLI and Northumbria Police following reports of “something unusual” in the water off Whitburn. In a statement they added nothing was found.
This marked the end of the brigade’s busiest month since its formation in 1866.
In total the volunteer team responded to 37 callouts throughout May. This includes the two bank holiday weekends.
The second of these weekends coincided with a heatwave which swept across the UK.
Monday, June 25 saw the brigade called to 12 different incidents along the South Shields coast as temperatures approached 30°C.
The team said two teenagers were taken to hospital, while the most common incidents involved children separated from their families.
Following the end of the busiest month in their 160 year history, the brigade thanked their volunteers in a statement which read: “The team were tasked to 37 call outs during May making this the busiest month in the Brigade’s history. Many thanks to the volunteers and their families for their dedication and giving up their time to attend these.”
Based at the Watch House at the start of South Shields Pier, the brigade is a registered charity relying on donations.