Petition demands coastguard boat

The Coastguard boat crew launched despite safety concerns

Hundreds of people have signed a petition demanding a Devon coastguard boat confiscated because of health and safety concerns be allowed to operate.

The boat at Hope Cove was locked up after local volunteers ignored safety advice and tried to save a teenage girl swept out to sea in a riptide.

Petitioners said local safety was compromised while it was out of action.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said there were no plans to release it until the vessel was repaired or replaced.

The last thing officials should be doing is frightening off tourists Anthony Steen MP

The local volunteer crew tried to save the 13-year-old girl who was trapped on a ledge just off the beach after being swept away on Tuesday 12 August.

Its three crew had been told by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) not to launch because the boat's hull had failed a safety check in June.

The crew launched anyway, although the girl was eventually rescued by a member of the public.

The boat was then taken away to Kingsbridge by the MCA and the crew was told it could face disciplinary action.

More than 600 people have signed the petition demanding the boat's release, claiming the beach will be inundated with bank holiday visitors this weekend.

Petition organiser Sue Illingworth, whose brother, Ian Pedrick, leads the Hope Cove rescue team, said: "The whole village is supporting the boys.

"They do a fantastic job and we want them back doing what they do well."

The Conservative MP for Totnes, Anthony Steen, also pledged his support, saying the removing the boat was "bureaucracy gone mad".

Hull integrity

He said: "The last thing officials should be doing is frightening off tourists over the bank holiday weekend by not providing proper cover."

The MCA said the boat, along with four others, was suspended from service because of concerns regarding hulls' structural integrity.

A spokesman said the boats were additional facilities and that the MCA's search-and-rescue effectiveness was not compromised.

There are no plans to release the vessel until it is repaired or replaced, the spokesman said.

He said: "We are looking at all the options."

A decision is expected to be made by the end of September.