Hunstanton Round Table has donated a £2,600 thermal night vision scope to its local lifeboat station.
The equipment will enable volunteers to literally see in the dark when out on shouts, helping them to search for missing people at sea or on the foreshore.
Ryan Darby, one of the station's helms, is also chair of the Round Table, while crew members Ed Napolitano, Josh Haycock and Elliott Nicol are also members.
'We're in the crew so we know how vital the scope is,' said Ryan. 'It detects heat, which means we can see a lot further at night.'
Fellow helm and Round Tabler Ed added: 'It's a game-changer in dark conditions, when you're trying to find someone and time is of the essence.'
The station was kindly gifted a similar scope by a generous donor last year.
The Round Table's gift means crew on both its lifeboat and hovercraft can now be equipped with one in the event of both being launched on the same 'shout'.
Lifeboat operations manager Mike Gould said: 'We're hugely grateful because it means we can have one on each asset. We know how important these things can be in both night and daytime conditions.'
Formed in 1959, the Round Table raises funds for local charities through events including Hunstanton's popular Christmas Swim and fireworks display.
Last year, the 14-strong group raised £25,000 for good causes in and around the town.
Editor's notes
Hunstanton is one of Norfolk's busiest lifeboat stations, whose volunteers operate both the inshore lifeboat
Spirit of West Norfolk and search and rescue hovercraft Hunstanton Flyer.
They cover The Wash, a tidal estuary stretching for more than 100 square miles fed by five main rivers, along with parts of the north Norfolk coastline.
Like more than 200 RNLI stations around the coast of the UK and Ireland, the crew's lifesaving work could not be possible without the kindness of those who give donations or leave legacies to the charity that saves lives at sea.
RNLI media contacts
For more information call Chris Bishop, Hunstanton RNLI volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer on 07584 147219 or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
RNLI/Chris Bishop
The thermal imaging scope, round table chair's chain and a pager on the chart table at Hunstanton RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
