The lifeboats saved 7,815 people from the water last year, an average of 21 people on every day of the year.

And the RNLI think that mobile phones may be one of the reasons for the big rise, as they help people in trouble contact their rescuers more quickly.

The busiest lifeboat station was Poole in Dorset, with 175 launches of its two lifeboats and 190 people rescued.

Michael Vlasto of the RNLI said the number of rescues made in 2003 were double the number made in 1986.

He added that the RNLI could not work without the volunteer who crew the boats and donations from the public.