THE crew of the Fowey all-weather lifeboat were able to aid a person needing assistance without even launching.

Crew members were carrying out a regular evening training exercise on board their lifeboat moored beside its pontoon when they were called on to help.

A gig team that had been training on the River Fowey came alongside and requested assistance.

Lifeboat press officer Cathy Baillie said: “They had collided with a large yellow steel mooring buoy in the dark and one of their crew, seated in the bow seat, had fallen backwards on impact and injured his lower back. The casualty was in considerable pain.”

Members of the RNLI crew gave the gig team member first aid and he was kept warm and comfortable whilst the shock wore off.