A standard lifeboat drill transformed into an unforeseen animal rescue operation last month.
Crew members from Newhaven’s RNLI station were conducting a training run on Monday, August 24, when they encountered an injured juvenile seagull entangled in fishing equipment on the rocky shoreline at the western section of the town’s breakwater.
Helm Chris Glasspool directed team members Steve Hopson, Charly Pearce and Will Rowell through an exercise that required lowering Mr Hopson onto the rocks to practise extracting a casualty from a difficult coastal position.
Shortly after arriving at the location, Mr Hopson noticed the struggling bird.
According to crew reports, the herring gull population forms part of the local ecosystem around Newhaven Harbour, frequently seeking food and swooping for fish scraps.
Finding two birds caught in hooks and fishing line proved distressing, though the team expressed relief at successfully rescuing at least one of them.
Being present at the precise moment and location enabled the volunteers to give the creature a chance at survival.
A second gull discovered in the vicinity had already died.
The team removed the surviving bird from the entanglement and transferred it onto the lifeboat.
Mr Glasspool contacted Solent Coastguard to arrange assistance from wildlife specialists.
Representatives from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service attended the lifeboat station to collect the gull and provide treatment.
Upon returning to the facility, Charly Pearce attended to the bird while fellow crew members completed post-operation checks and prepared the inflatable lifeboat for future deployment.
The rescued gull is expected to be returned to Newhaven shortly, once medical treatment for its injuries has concluded.
Charity records indicate that the RNLI has logged 2,392 animal rescues during the past sixteen years.
The organisation additionally promotes public awareness regarding coastal and water safety, encompassing potential hazards posed by wildlife and animals in seaside environments.