A FEMALE volunteer who joined the RNLI after being rescued is calling on more women to sign up.

Lucy Ward, 33, of High Street, Burnham, was out on the River Crouch racing when a member of her sailing team was struck by a piece of metal in 2011.

Burnham’s RNLI came to her rescue and sparked a bid to give something back to the station.

She is now one of five female crew members and is called out to rescues throughout the year.

Lucy, 33, who is a web content manager, said: “About five years ago I was rescued by the crew and I decided I wanted to give something back.

“I was out racing and it was quite windy. The person steering the boat got hit by the boom and hit his head.

“The lifeboat were called and got him to the nearest ambulance meeting point. One of the crew came aboard and helped us back to shore.”

Women have been crew members in the RNLI for decades.

Grace Darling was the first woman to be awarded an RNLI medal for taking part in a famous rescue off the coast of Northumberland in 1838.

The first to receive a gallantry medal in the 20th Century was Aileen Jones, a crew member and helm at Porthcawl Lifeboat Station.

She was awarded an RNLI bronze medal in 2005 for her part in the rescue of two fishermen, the first woman in 116 years to be given such an accolade.

Lucy added: “The one thing you always remember is the look of relief. I was so glad to see them [when I was rescued].

“You see that look on their faces whether they have run out of fuel or you have to pull them out of the water. It is incredibly rewarding from that perspective.

“There is so much training and you get so many skills.

“People think they need to have water experience but with the training people can have absolutely no water experience.

"Sometimes it helps as you are teaching new and there are no bad habits.”

Lucy was a member of an all female crew which attended a shout on the River Crouch on October 11 2014.

Ian Scott, an experienced Atlantic 85 helm, said: “We currently have five women volunteers on the rosta for the Burnham on Crouch Lifeboat and it just feels natural that women are represented on the crew.

“Each crew member, no matter their age, experience or gender, brings something special to the mix of people.

“We enjoy of great deal of support from all sections of the local community and it would feel incomplete if women were not represented on the crew.”

People can find out more about joining Burnham RNLI at an open day on Saturday.