Old Penlee lifeboat station to host open days

An old Cornish lifeboat station that closed after losing eight crew members in a disaster in 1981 is set to hold a series of six open days.

Penlee Lifeboat said the Grade II listed old lifeboat station at Penlee Point would open to visitors on Easter Monday between 11:00 and 15:00 BST.

It said the "iconic" station was home to Penlee's lifeboats prior to World War One until the early 1980s.

"This is now a listed building which presents a snapshot of a lifeboat station from the middle of the last century", it added.

All eight RNLI crew were lost while attempting to rescue passengers on board a cargo ship in December 1981 - the eight crew of the ship also died.

The station buildings near Mousehole closed from active service in 1983.

The open days will run 21 April, 26 May, 29 June, 27 July, 6 August and 25 August.

The RNLI said the old lifeboat station contains service boards which list more than 100-years of lifesaving by the lifeboats of Penzance, Newlyn and Penlee.

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