Hoylake Lifeboat stalwart retires after 50 years of saving lives

May 10 2011 By Lorna Hughes

A VETERAN lifesaver has hung up his lifejacket after over 50 years of service.

RNLI volunteer Robert "Robbie" Lydiate joined the crew of Hoylake Lifeboat in 1959 and also became a crew member at West Kirby when a lifeboat station was established there in 1966.

The lifeboats at Hoylake and West Kirby have rescued the lives of 529 people since he signed up.

Hoylake Lifeboat's Steve Armitage said: "Rob asked to be shown mouth to mouth resuscitation as he was a keen learner, not knowing that later that day, the lifeboat would be called out to two people in the water.

"One was suffering from hypothermia and the other was not breathing and appeared deceased.

"Whilst the other two crew members worked on the hypothermia victim, Rob swiftly put his training into action and performed mouth to mouth on the lifeless casualty, who eventually coughed and spluttered back to life.

"A letter of thanks from the RNLI was sent to all three crew members for their selfless actions that day."

Mr Lydiate was a lifeboat crew member until 1986 and later became assistant tractor driver, tractor driver and shore helper.

He has also worked as a fisherman in Liverpool Bay and the River Dee and is currently the boatman at Hoylake Sailing Club.

Mr Lydiate was presented with the RNLI Vellum by Hoylake Lifeboat Operations manager John Curry at a ceremony attended by coxswains, committee and crew members past and present.