Sixth form student Alison Kirkham has just joined Burnham-on-Crouch lifeboat station as the youngest female RNLI crew member in England.

Alison, 17, who attends St Peter's High School, needed permission from her supportive parents, Ray and Anne, before she was allowed to sign up. Now she is on round-the-clock standby.

"I couldn't wait to turn 17 last month so I could join the Royal National Lifeboat Institution," said Alison, who is studying law and physical education. "It's a challenge."

When her message pager sounds, she must drop her studies and cycle the five-minute journey to the main lifeboat station at Burnham Marina, where she swaps her school clothes for a full-body dry suit, lifejacket and helmet.

On Monday evening, Alison was paged for the first time while shelf-filling at the town's supermarket, where she works part-time.

Both lifeboats were scrambled after two red flares were sighted on the upper reaches of the Crouch, but Alison was beaten to the marina by other crew members who are chosen on a first-come, most-experienced basis.

"I didn't have my mountain bike with me, so I borrowed a friend's, but the chain fell off," said Alison, who keeps herself shipshape as captain of the local women's rugby club and has ambitions to play for England.

"By the time I ran to the marina, I saw the Atlantic class lifeboat setting off."

Alison is one of 169 women risking their lives for those in peril on the seas and is the town's third female recruit, joining Lindsay "Lulu" Piggott, 40, and Rebecca Kilbride, 23, at the predominantly male bastion with its 15 men.

They follow in the wake of Farne Islands lighthouse keeper's daughter Grace Darling, who succeeded along with her father in rescuing survivors off The Forfarshire in 1838, and became an heroic inspiration to the RNLI.

Alison is learning the ropes from Lindsay, who and works as a sailmaker with husband Grant, an experienced lifeboatman, and marine biologist Rebecca, a qualified diver, who joined 12 months ago.

Newly appointed Burnham RNLI press officer Mandy Tickner said: "Lulu, Becky and Alison are part of a great team and I could effectively make up our first all-female crew on board our D class inshore lifeboat.

"They are expected to undertake situations which would be expected of men of similar age and experience."

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