Girl, 17, joins lifeboat station

Grace Wadsworth is not allowed to leave lessons to go on a call out

A 17-year-old girl has joined a lifeboat crew just two weeks after it took on a boy of the same age, making him the country's youngest crew member.

Grace Wadsworth turned 17 on Sunday, enabling her to join the Lyme Regis RNLI station in Dorset.

Grace, who is also the only woman on the crew, took over the title as England's youngest lifeboat crew member from schoolmate Ritchie Durrant, 17.

Both can leave school during a call-out but not if they are in a lesson.

Ritchie, who attends Woodroffe School in the town with Grace, became a crew member on his 17th birthday on 26 October.

Grace became involved with the RNLI 18 months ago as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Her father, Tim, is also a crew member at the station.

Grace, who recently gained 13 GCSEs passes, including three A* grades and eight A grades, said: "I am very pleased to be the first woman crew member [in Lyme Regis] and hope I won't be the last.

'Done us proud'

"I would like to be a full sea-going crew member, but I am delighted to be shore crew to start with."

Rob Fossett, Lyme Regis lifeboat operations manager, said: "Grace has done us proud over the past 18 months.

"We are keen to promote the RNLI to young people, and I am delighted we can reward Grace's enthusiasm by welcoming her aboard.

"She has first-class boat skills and is a very popular member of the team."

Bad summer weather and an increase in inexperienced sailors have led to a recent increase in sea rescues on the south coast, including Dorset.

Just over 8% of RNLI crew members are female - 376 out of 4,549. In the South West, there are 30 women crew members.