A life-saving rescue team in Maryport is back up and running after a fundraiser paid for vital repairs to their lifeboat.

Maryport Inshore Rescue got their lifeboat back on Monday after it was damaged on a callout earlier in the month and had to be sent away for repairs.

Normal service resumed for Maryport Inshore Rescue on Christmas Eve following the usual checks of equipment and kit being loaded on board. Repairs carried out by the manufacturer MST LTD Liverpool were paid for with funds raised by Maryport Trawler Race and sales of a calendar.

Photographer Sue Restan of Maryport used her snaps of the harbour and the town to raise £1,120, with proceeds going to Maryport Inshore Rescue. Last weekend she donated a cheque to the team’s operations manager Mike Messenger at their station. Sue owns a boat in the marina with her husband Phil and they regularly go out fishing in the Solway Firth.

“When I decided to produce the calendar I was going to order 25 and hoped I might be able to raise as much as £100 for the inshore rescue team,” she told the Times & Star. “It proved far more popular than expected so I ended up having four batches printed and sold a total of 226 calendars.

“We have a personal reason for supporting our inshore rescue team. We hope we will never need to call on them for help but it is good to know they are there if we do.”

The independent lifeboat and swift water rescue organisation relies on donations as it is independent from the RNLI and HM Coastguard.

n Maryport Lifeboat Lotto had a £5,000 winner this week, with Mrs R Holliday picking up the guaranteed jackpot. The numbers were 1, 11, 25 and 29. Next week’s draw is on Thursday.