Lifeboat banned by health and safety... three hours after saving drowning schoolgirl

The Hope Cove coastguard team in South Devon defied advice not to take the damaged 17-foot inflatable to sea when they saw the 13-year-old being swept out by a rip current.

The four-strong crew braved heavy surf to help save the girl, but their courage was not appreciated by their bosses at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Their boat has been confiscated and locked up, and their station officer and his crew, who are all volunteers, are now under investigation following the rescue.

Not safe: The crew of H.M.Coastguard at Hope Cove in the 'danger' boat

Now villagers say a holidaymaker could die because of what they say are 'health and safety rules gone mad'.

The boat had been taken out of service by the MCA in June because of fears about the safety of the hull, but the crew had paid £2,000 from their own funds to have it repaired.

It was left in the boathouse next to the beach at the village and was due for further inspection by health and safety officials from the MCA.

The boat has been in service without any problem for 15 years and has carried out 91 successful rescues between 2000 and 2005, and around ten a year in the two summers since.

The MCA spent around £10,000 buying the boat and £5,000 giving the 11 coastguards in the Hope Cove team specialist training in using it just two years ago.

Close call: The lucky girl gets a hug from her mother after being rescued

Within three hours of rescuing the 13-year-old schoolgirl last Tuesday the boat was towed away by a senior MCA officer and is now locked away.

At the start of the rescue on Tuesday Hope Cove Station Officer Ian Pedrick, 49, asked for permission to use the boat because the girl was just 150 yards out to sea.

The crew then lost radio contact with coastguard headquarters at Brixham and went ahead with the rescue.

The girl's 15-year-old sister was saved by other holidaymakers and the girl was already being helped by a diver when they reached her.

The nearest lifeboat is at Salcombe which is six miles and at least 20 minutes away by sea.

Top team: The crew return from a rescue - this time saving a dog

Publican Mr Pedrick said he has now been ordered by the MCA not to comment on the incident.

Recently retired coastguard Dave Clark, aged 54, said: 'Everyone in the village is very angry. They feel the crew are being punished for trying to save a life.

'The boat at Hope Cove is vital because it takes 25 minutes for the lifeboat to get from Salcombe and a swimmer could easily drown in that time.

'We've got nothing against the RNLI lifeboatmen. They do a strapping job but our boat can be on the scene in less than ten minutes.

'When the MCA withdrew the boat in June they said it would be for six weeks but the crew wanted it back as soon as possible so they paid for the repairs themselves.

'They were then told it had to stay off service until it was surveyed and that would have taken it out for the whole of the summer season.

'Anyone would have done the same thing when they saw the girl in trouble but when they came back their boat was taken away.

'Lives could be lost because the boat has been removed and locked up.'

Heroes: The crew, from left to right, David Illingworth, Ian Pedrick and Paul Pedrick

The boat is one of only around six used by MCA coastguard teams and was withdrawn in June because of concerns about its hull.

An inspection showed a small crack in the transom, a stone chip on the bottom, and a leak between two of the five sections of the inflatable tube.

A spokesman for the MCA said: 'The general purpose boat at Hope Cove was suspended from operational service on June 11 because of health and safety concerns regarding the structural integrity of the hull.

'The health and safety of the boat crews and those who they may render assistance to is of paramount importance.

'We have identified a serious breach of health and safety procedures and they are currently being investigated.

'The boat has been stood down for a further eight weeks while we investigate the possibility of repair or replacement.'