Long service medal for Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Vic Dade

A Norfolk RNLI volunteer has been awarded a long service medal after more than 40 years' devotion to the charity that saves lives at sea.

Victor Dade, now 62, joined the crew at Hunstanton as a 17-year-old soon after the station reopened in 1979.

Since then Vic has crewed on both the station's inshore lifeboats and its hovercraft, which arrived in 2003.

He has continued his commitment as a plant operator, driving and maintaining the tractor used to launch and recover both vessels to the present day.

Forestry worker Vic, who lives near the station, was presented with his award by Hunstanton Lifeboat Operations Manager Rigil Kent at a crew meeting on Sunday, 1 October.

'It's an absolutely massive achievement,' Rigil said. 'Thank you for everything you've done and continue to do for the station'.

Vic said: 'They were advertising for people and I just thought why not, so I joined up. I originally joined up as a tractor driver and it just progressed from there. I guess it's just become part of me'.