Women honoured with RNLI awards

Christine Bradshaw's bravery was praised by the RNLI

A Cornish GP has been awarded the bronze medal for gallantry at the RNLI's annual awards in London.

Dr Christine Bradshaw, 49, is the first female GP to be awarded a bronze medal for gallantry.

Also honoured was lifeguard Sophie Grant-Crookston for a rescue off Perranporth last year and BBC Radio Cornwall for its Sea Sense campaign.

The Charity's annual presentation of awards was held at the Barbican Centre London on Thursday.

Last November Dr Bradshaw was winched onto the 42,000 tonne tanker FR8 Venture three times in atrocious conditions to aid a severely injured crewman.

Two crewmen died when the tanker was hit by a massive wave in the Pentland Firth.

The rescued man survived and has now made a full recovery.

'Very privileged'

Dr Bradshaw is from Stithians in Cornwall but has a permanent post as an assistant GP in Orkney.

She has since become a member of the RNLI Longhope Lifeboat Crew on the island of Hoy in Orkney.

Speaking about her medal, she said: 'It is a fantastic honour. The RNLI is such a great organisation and to actually have been allowed to join as a crew member is a great honour."

The RNLI said the doctor's bravery was of the "highest order".

Also awarded a bronze medal was Sophie Grant-Crookston,26, the first female and only the second lifeguard to be honoured by the RNLI.

The photography and digital imaging student from Newquay was working at Perranporth beach last September when she went to the rescue of the 36-year-old surfer stranded by dangerous seas around the rocks at Droskyn head.

"It is a complete honour, and I feel very privileged to receive this medal,'' Miss Grant-Crookston said of her award.

"The previous year, a guy had actually died in that cave in very, very similar conditions and a very similar high tide."

And BBC Radio Cornwall received an RNLI Media award for their sea safety awareness campaign Sea Sense.

The series ran for over a year and looked at the various ways the RNLI is working to ensure people use the water in and around Cornwall safely.