Brian Cole, now 82, was just 17 years old when he was rescued by the charity (Image: SWNS)
A volunteer has been awarded for dedicating over 60 years of service to the RNLI – after they saved his life as a teenager.
Brian Cole, 82, was rescued by the RNLI after falling off a cliff 65 years ago aged 17 and has supported the RNLI ever since.
In 1959, Brian was holidaying with friends in Brixham in Devon in the last summer between leaving school and starting work.
Having climbed up a cliff a rock gave way at the last moment and he fell 200 feet.
A policeman came by and called RNLI Torbay, where the Inshore lifeboat rescued him from the rocks at the base of the cliff.
He was then transferred to the All-Weather Lifeboat (ALB), Princess Alexandra of Kent which brought him to Brixham Quay where an ambulance was waiting.
A major operation revealed that Brian had dented his skull but there was no damage to the brain.
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Several weeks later, he recovered sufficiently to start his new job with the civil service Ministry of Labour and National Service in Bath.
Brian, who has lived in Exmouth since 1976, said: “I was so grateful to the RNLI that, every year after that, I collected for the RNLI at work and began to give talks about my experience and the great work of the RNLI around Bath and later around Yeovil, when I moved there”.
Brian has taken on various voluntary roles throughout his time with RNLI – including giving talks, as the Station Admin Officer and latterly as an Exnouth RNLI Tour Guide.
The only time he cut back on fundraising was when he was Exmouth Town Mayor between 2016 and 2018.
Ian Rick, Exmouth RNLI Lifeboat Visits Officer said: “Brian is positive, cheerful and always laughing and very popular with visitors and fellow volunteers.”
To this day, Brian is a valued member of the Visits team, giving tours of the station.
Steve Hocking-Thompson, Exmouth RNLI Coxswain who presented Brian with his long service medal, said: “Brian has been a committed and enthusiastic RNLI volunteer and fundraiser for over 60 years and richly deserves his long service medal.
“It is a fantastic achievement, and it has been a privilege for all of us to have him as part of our team.”