The volunteer team at Looe RNLI lifeboat station will be holding a formal naming ceremony and service of dedication for their new B class lifeboat Sheila & Dennis Tongue II on Saturday, November 12.

The lifeboat has been funded by a donated by the late Sheila and Dennis Tongue who left a legacy to the RNLI to fund three Atlantic 85s. On Saturday, their nephew Raymond Tongue will name the lifeboat in their memory.

David Haines is the RNLI lifeboat operations manager at Looe: ‘It’s always a very special occasion when we welcome a new lifeboat to a station and it’s a real honour to be able to meet the family and friends of Sheila and Dennis, and learn more about who they were and what the RNLI meant to them.

’The volunteer lifeboat crew are reliant on their training and equipment to ensure they are safe while carrying out their life-saving work, so it’s extremely important for them to celebrate the arrival of the B Class Atlantic Sheila and Dennis Tongue II at this very special event and give thanks for their generosity.

’We’d love to see as many of our supporters, former crew and volunteers as possible at the event on Saturday. R

’Regrettably, due to the lack of space, we can’t accommodate additional numbers inside the lifeboat station, but there will be some chairs and plenty of standing room on the quayside for anyone who wants to watch the proceedings.

’Light refreshments will be available after the service in the boathouse’

Sheila & Dennis Tongue II replaces the station’s former B Class Atlantic inshore lifeboat Alan & Margaret that was on station from 2003 to 2016. During this time the lifeboat launched 252 times and rescued 208 people, saving 2 lives.

The event will start at 2pm.