Two of Peel’s lifeboat crew members - Simon Bushe and Juan Owens - have been honoured recently with medals recognising each for 20 years of service to the charity.

Simon, now Peel’s senior station technician, began his RNLI service as a volunteer crew member at Douglas Lifeboat Station where he progressed from lifeboat crew to volunteer mechanic.

He then moved to Peel lifeboat to become the station’s full-time mechanic in 2021.

An experienced mechanic by trade, he has served on three classes of RNLI all-weather lifeboats: Tyne, Mersey and Shannon.

Similarly recognised was Juan Owens, a skilled yachtsman, who in his 20 years with Peel lifeboat has served as a volunteer crew, navigator, assistant mechanic and then assistant mechanic and coxswain on the station’s former Mersey lifeboat Ruby Clery.

He remains a valued crew member on the current lifeboat, the Shannon-class Frank and Brenda Winter.

Peel lifeboat operations manager, Allen Corlett, presented the RNLI honours, expressing the RNLI’s gratitude to both men for their years of dedication to saving lives at sea.

He said: ‘Knowing the effort that each has put into developing and maintaining their skills and the support they provide fellow volunteers, it was a great pleasure to be able to recognise Simon and Juan for their enduring commitment to the RNLI.’

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 in the island by Sir William Hillary, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives .

In addition to Peel, there are four other lifeboat station in the island at Douglas, Port Erin, Port St Mary and Ramsey.