After three days of Assessments by the RNLI Assessor/Trainer Gary Stanbury Salcombe RNLI Volunteer crew members; George Yeoman and Matt Davies both passed as Assistant Mechanics.

For George, who just 18 months ago became the RNLI Salcombe’s youngest ever ILB Lifeboat Helm this is yet another step up the ladder within the lifeboat family.

For Matt, an 11-year veteran and member of the three-man ILB crew who won high praise back in 2011 for a rescue in Soar Mill Cove featured in a BBC Saving lives at Sea programme, this was another ‘step up the ladder’.

Two of the ‘new’ volunteer crew members Toby Woods and Tim Page capped off many months of training by being passing their assessments.

Along with the Salcombe crew mentioned there were two members from sister stations joining the crews for their own assessments, something that is happening more regularly as Salcombe is used by the RNLI as a training hub.