Members of the public have honoured the memory of Sir William Hillary who founded the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

An event took place at St George’s Church in Douglas on Sunday, where Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney laid an anchor-shaped wreath on the tomb of Sir William, who lived in Douglas and who set up the institution in 1824.

The annual commemorative service came after the final slipway launch of the aged Sir William Hillary lifeboat, named after the late founder, which had been in use for 29 years.

Douglas RNLI is to receive the latest Shannon-class lifeboat once its berthing facility has been built.

Sir William, who moved to the island in 1808, was hailed as a hero when he took charge in the rescue of 97 men whose lives were put in peril during a storm that had wrecked their ship in Douglas bay.

This later influenced his decision to set up the RNLI and help build the Tower of Refuge on the Conister Rocks, to provide shelter for those who faced danger of being shipwrecked in the bay again.

Sir William died in 1847 and shares a tomb with his wife Lady Hillary in St George’s Churchyard.