TROON Lifeboat Station said farewell to their D class inshore lifeboat that has rescued over 100 people during her service.

On Wednesday April 25, the inshore lifeboat D-684 was replaced with a ‘newer’ version, the D class inshore lifeboat D-821.

D-684 ‘Telford Shopping Centre’ was placed on service at Troon in December 2007 and was the first permanent inshore lifeboat for Troon. 

It was funded by shopkeepers and customers of the Telford shopping centre in Shropshire.

Since arriving on station at Troon, she launched on service 251 times, saved five lives and rescued over 100 people.

D-821 ‘Sheena’ now begins her service with her first callout coming at 9.36pm on Thursday, April 26 after a member of the public reported a person in the water outside of Troon Harbour.

A spokesperson for Troon Lifeboat Station, said: “Belfast Coastguard immediately tasked the D class inshore lifeboat ‘Sheena’ alongside the all-weather lifeboat ‘RNLB Jim Moffat’ as well as the Coastguard Rescue Teams from Ayr and Ardrossan.

“As the lifeboats launched, the Coastguard teams on the shore spoke to the first informant and identified that a light they had seen may have been the green starboard navigational buoy near to the harbour entrance.

“As the lifeboats approached the navigational mark the Coastguard teams confirmed via the first informant that this was what they had seen.

“A search of this area was undertaken by both lifeboats to ensure no persons were in difficulty near to the marker buoy.

“With the area searched by the all-weather and inshore lifeboats and nothing further found, the call was put down to a false alarm with good intent, so the lifeboats were stood down to return to station.”