The legacies of two sisters who holidayed in Sea Palling as children have helped the village buy a new lifeboat.Peggie Cordwell and Ivy Kirkendall, from Gorleston, who both died within the last five years, left money to the Palling Volunteer Rescue Service having enjoyed time in the seaside village when they were young.

The legacies of two sisters who holidayed in Sea Palling as children have helped the village buy a new lifeboat.

Peggie Cordwell and Ivy Kirkendall, from Gorleston, who both died within the last five years, left money to the Palling Volunteer Rescue Service having enjoyed time in the seaside village when they were young.

Ivy Kirkendall, donated shares to the lifeboat, in her lifetime, which were sold to pay for the boat house about 12-years-ago.

Their gifts, coupled with cash from the Wroxham and Hoveton Lions Club, has enabled the independent station to buy a £25,000 new boat.

The new Avon Adventurer boat has been named Lions Roar, after the fundraising group.

It is equipped with a special trailer, which enables the boat to be launched straight into the water with the crew in the boat, meaning a rescue is under way more quickly and safely.

The powerful boat can hold more equipment, including better first aid, oxygen tanks and spare navigational gear and charts than its predecessor which was called Leo.

Ian Flaxman, who has been coxswain of the Sea Palling lifeboat for three years, said the villagers and the lifeboat crew were delighted with the new boat.

He said, “It is every station's dream to have a new boat, but it can only happen if money becomes available.”

Chairman Sam Sheldon added: “It's been a long time coming but we've got everything on our wish-list. A boat, a new trailer and launching system.”

A lifeboat has been at Sea Palling since about 1840, and the station was taken over by the RNLI in 1848. The institution closed it in 1930, but with increased numbers of holiday makers going to Sea Palling, villagers decided to open the Palling Volunteer Rescue service in 1974.

The service costs at least £12,500 a year to run meaning the dedicated fundraising committee are constantly looking for ways to raise money to keep the lifeboat going.

Keith Skipper's Press Gang will be raising money for the lifeboat at Waxham Barns on May 17 at 7.30pm, for tickets contact Sam Sheldon on 01692 598574.

For more information on the lifeboat go to www.pallingrescue.co.uk.