Volunteers at four of the Isle of Man’s all-weather lifeboat stations have received new lifeboat crew kit.

It is now being worn by Douglas, Ramsey, Port St Mary and Peel RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews.

The kit is lighter and designed to allow greater freedom of movement than the kit it is replacing.

Specially designed with the RNLI, the new kit uses waterproof and breathable fabric that provides increased comfort compared to the previous non-breathable fabric of the old kit. The light but strong kit is reinforced for exposed areas and its technical layering system ensures crew members will keep warm and dry while out at sea.

Tony Radcliffe, mechanic at Douglas lifeboat station, said: ’The new gear is absolutely fantastic. It’s much lighter than the old kit, it’s waterproof and it uses breathable fabric, which is ideal for the more demanding tasks we often need to carry out on the lifeboat.’

The kit is made by clothing company Helly Hansen.