A PAIR of former Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) crewmen in Holyhead were honoured and thanked after more than 300 lives saved and 60 years of service between them.

Nigel Dennis and Martin Sampson both stepped down from their RNLI duties last year, and last week were both presented with their certificates at RNLI Holyhead by lifeboat operations manager David Owens at Holyhead Sailing Club.

Nigel joined the RNLI in 1977, and became a volunteer on both our inshore lifeboat (ILB) and all-weather lifeboat (ALB) crew, rescuing a total of 298 lives in his time.

He became a lifeboat training coordinator before progressing to deputy second coxswain in 2002, a role he held until stepping down.

Martin started his career in 2001 at Trearddur Bay Station, before joining the Holyhead in 2004.

He was a crew member on both of their lifeboats, became a D-class helm in 2009, and qualified as an ALB navigator in 2011.

He was also a fully-fledged sea-going casualty care crewman from 2007, and was involved in saving 44 lives during his lifeboat career.

RNLI Holyhead said in a Facebook post: “Both men were an incredible asset to our station, and to the RNLI as a whole, and we'd like to say a very sincere thank you for their decades of service and dedication, and for the legacy they have passed on to future generations of lifeboat volunteers.”