An early morning training exercise on New Year’s Day became the first shout of 2021 for Peel’s RNLI lifeboat and the first shout as coxswain for volunteer Mike Faragher.

The crew had launched the Mary Margaret shortly after 10am for a planned exercise that took them along the west coast.

While under way the crew spotted a heavy plume of black smoke from a vessel four miles northwest of Niarbyl.

A member of the public saw the smoke too and made a 999 call to the coastguard which in turn asked Peel Lifeboat to investigate.

The lifeboat approached the vessel and confirmed with coastguard that it was not in any difficulty.

After being stood down by the coastguard the Mary Margaret and crew returned to Peel just in time to see the start of the annual New Year’s Day dip, which this year raised funds for Multiple Sclerosis, Bowel Cancer IOM and Peel RNLI.

Coxswain Mike Faragher said: ’Thankfully the vessel did not need our help.

’But it had been an alarming sight to the concerned member of the public who did the right thing in dialling 999 and asking for the Coastguard.

’Like RNLI volunteers around the British Isles and Ireland, our crew is ready to respond to calls for help around the clock throughout the year, even at Christmas and New Year.’