Seven shouts in seven days for Ferry's RNLI

The first page was at 12.05pm on Sunday, February 5, and the second was received during a training session that afternoon.

On Monday, February 6, the crew received their third page at 3.21pm, then another on Wednesday, February 8, at 4.37pm, and Friday, February 10, at 12.18pm.

Finally, the crew had two back-to-back on the afternoon of Saturday, February 11, with the first at 1.04pm.

The volunteer boat and shore crew accrued a total of 106 hours volunteering time to help those in distress and help to save lives at sea.

Davie Smart, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Queensferry Lifeboat, said: “You never know when the next time is that you’ll hear the pager go off, but we are always ready and this week has certainly been exceptional.

"The utmost of thanks to the volunteers for dropping everything multiple times this week.

"Also thank you to their families and employers for their support, flexibility with plans and patience.”

Going into a wee bit more detail about each shout, the first call out on Sunday, February 5, saw the Queensferry RNLI lifeboat called out at 12.05pm by UK Coastguard to people stuck on the Cramond Causeway with the tide coming in.

As the lifeboat was launched, however, information came through that they had managed to get back to shore safe and well, and the crew were stood down.

The UK Coastguard requested a second launch for people cut off by the tide on Cramond Island that afternoon. The lifeboat was able to retrieve the casualties and hand them over to UK Coastguard personnel, with no medical assistance required.

On Monday, February 6, at 3.21pm, the lifeboat was tasked to assist Police Scotland and then on Wednesday, February 8, at 4.37pm, a local bystander reported that a dinghy had capsized with two people spotted in the water under the Forth Road bridge.

On arrival, the crew had managed to right their dinghy and successfully get back on board, establishing support from a local safety boat. The lifeboat escorted them to Port Edgar and handed them over to the UK Coastguard.

On Friday, February 10, at 12.18pm, the lifeboat was tasked again to support Police Scotland with an incident off the coast at Silverknowes.

And, finally, on Saturday, February 11, at 1.04pm, reports were received of a paddleboarder in distress in the area between the Forth Rail Bridge and Forth Road Bridge.

After a search, the lifeboat was stood down and it was confirmed the call was a false alarm with good intent.

The crew had just completed washing the boat down when they were called out again to another three people who had been cut off by the tide on Cramond Island. All were retrieved and handed to the UK Coastguard, with no medical assistance required.

Queensferry RNLI is based at Hawes Pier. The lifeboat station was founded in 1967 and the volunteer crew use an inshore Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat Jimmie Cairncross.

RNLI volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the UK and Republic of Ireland, operating 238 lifeboat stations and more than 240 lifeguard units.