Hoylake RNLI have bid farewell to their Second Coxswain Tony Warburton, who has retired from the lifesaving charity after 32 years of service.
Tony’s work with the RNLI began when he joined the Hoylake Lifeboat crew in 1992 as shore crew and on board Hoylake’s all-weather Mersey class lifeboat, Lady of Hilbre.
Ten years later he became a Deputy 2nd Coxswain, commanding the lifeboat on emergency call-outs and exercises, before being appointed Hoylake RNLI’s Second Coxswain in 2016 on the Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Edmund Hawthorn Micklewood. In this role, he supported Coxswain Andy Dodd and later Coxswain Howie Owen and played a key role in helping to lead the station’s volunteer crew.
Tony also served as both a commander and a pilot on Hoylake RNLI’s Inshore Rescue Hovercraft Hurley Spirit. He launched on service countless times and was instrumental to saving lives and keeping many people safe on the region’s coast and out at sea.
His commitment to the RNLI came alongside a career at sea and raising a young family and was recognised in 2023, when he was presented with the RNLI’s 30-year Long Service badge.
Howie Owen, Hoylake RNLI Coxswain, said: “On behalf of all the crew and volunteering teams at Hoylake Lifeboat Station, I want to say a huge thank you to Tony for his many years of dedication and hard work on both the lifeboat and hovercraft.
“We couldn’t save lives at sea without the incredible commitment of volunteers like Tony. We wish him well for everything the future holds.”