'Rubber-duck' jibe angers RNLI

The Bantham lifeboat was involved in 38 rescues over the summer

The RNLI has hit back at an MP who said that its rescue boat at a south Devon beach was a "rubber-duck boat".

MP Anthony Steen was referring to the RNLI's inflatable boat at Bantham.

Mr Steen, who wants a coastguard rescue boat at nearby Hope Cove reinstated, said Bantham's boat was not an alternative.

The RNLI said the Bantham boat was not designed to cover the Hope Cove area and it had been involved in 38 rescues over the summer.

The Arancia is purpose built for surf rescue... and has been instrumental in helping save lives RNLI

Mr Steen made his comments on Monday as he and the coastguard crew of the Hope Cove boat met a government minister to press their case for the reinstatement of the boat.

The boat has been under restrictions on how far it can operate since the summer when the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) made its ruling.

The MCA said it was unsafe and limited its use.

Mr Steen said in a statement that he was concerned about who would respond in an emergency at Hope Cove "when the Bantham boat, a rubber-duck surf boat, has limited operational capabilities".

Tamsin Thomas of the RNLI, said the inflatable Arancia at Bantham had not been placed there to provide cover around to Hope Cove.

That was the job of the two RNLI lifeboats at Salcombe.

'Diminished' role

"It is not however, as Mr Anthony Steen keeps insisting, a 'rubber duck surf boat'", she said.

"The Arancia is purpose built for surf rescue, is used worldwide by rescue organisations, and has been instrumental in helping save lives.

"Indeed the one based at Bantham was involved in 38 rescues this summer alone."

The MCA said that its priority was the safety of its crew members and with two RNLI boats in Salcombe since 2003, the need for the Hope Cove vessel in a support role had diminished.

The MCA said that it was still consulting locally about its lifeboat's future.

A decision would be made "in due course".