Cumbria RNLI’s £2.1 million Shannon class lifeboat has arrived at its new home.

Coxswain John Stobbart and four other crew members met five crewmen at Milford Haven on Sunday.

They guided the new vessel up to the Port of Workington yesterday, where a large crowd had gathered both outside the lifeboat station and on the harbour to watch.

Having now got hands-on with the Dorothy May White, Mr Stobbart described the lifeboat’s capabilities as “second-to-none”.

He said: “This is a fantastic boat and it’s going to serve west Cumbria for the next 50 years.

“It has been a long time coming, although the old boat was a great one which served us well.

“It’s obviously quicker and the kit on it makes the job more comfortable. It’s smaller but it does a lot more.

“Although the job will always be the same, it will now be safer and quicker.”

Donations are still pouring in for an appeal to raise £150,000 towards the new vessel, with a final total yet to be announced.

Mr Stobbart thanked everyone who had given money to the cause to help people in trouble at sea.

The all-weather Dorothy May White replaces the Sir John Fisher, which was in service since 1992 and has been called on to assist people 276 times, saved 73 lives and carried 324 people safely ashore.

It will serve the coast of west Cumbria, from Drigg to Port Carlisle.

Tim Chittenden, the station’s operations manager, said: “It’s a really important message that this is the community’s lifeboat, it belongs to them.

“The money we’ve had and the turnout today shows that people have taken it to their hearts.”

The new boat has been named in honour of the woman whose legacy provided £1m towards it. The Sir John Fisher Foundation has also made a significant contribution.