RNLI saving lives at sea: Survivor's walk from Littlehampton to Worthing marks 65th anniversary of dramatic rescue

John Holden, 79, chose the first anniversary of his ankle replacement for the 21-mile walk from Littlehampton Lifeboat Station to Sea Lane Café in Goring and back.

Accompanied all the way by his son Edwin, John left at 4.10am on Saturday due to the heatwave. When they arrived in Worthing at 7.50am, they had to wait for the café to open 8am before John could tuck into the bacon butty he said he 'had to have'. In all, the walk along the coast took 7 hours 48 minutes, ending with a cup of tea back at the lifeboat station.

John said: "I feel quite proud about my ankle. I did the same walk about 20 years ago and I was using a walking stick then. My consultant came on Sunday and he was over the moon. He said the ankle was as good as the day he did the operation.

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"A lot of people were quite worried because of my age. I said don't worry, if God doesn't want me to do it, he won't allow me to do it."

To end the day, John went to watch Davison Worthing Youth Concert Band. Musical director Karen Kennard surprised him by calling him up to talk about his walk and said the evening's collection would be dedicated to his fundraising.

With donations from supporters including Littlehampton Baptist Church and JustGiving, John has so far raised more than £3,200. Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/john-holden-rnli-walk-2022 to make a donation.John has been a keen supporter of the RNLI ever since he was saved from the sea at Littlehampton when he was 14. It was July 14, 1957, and he was on a Sunday school trip from Teddington.

He was swept out to sea on an inflatable while playing with friends. Unable to swim and with an offshore wind taking him increasingly further away from the beach, John was in desperate need of help.

Cold, shocked and very relieved, John was rescued by an RNLI lifeboat crew after the emergency services were contacted – and he has never forgotten that day. Ever since, he has been a volunteer and fundraiser for the RNLI, first for the Twickenham, Teddington and District Fundraising Branch and later Littlehampton, when he moved to the town.

John said: "I have never been able to thank the RNLI and the volunteer crew on the lifeboat enough for rescuing me that day. Without them, I’m sure I wouldn’t be here. That’s why I have been so thankful and have tried to do as much as I can for the RNLI ever since.

"The RNLI protects us all. The water is an unpredictable environment that can catch people out. People will always need the RNLI’s help and they will always be there to answer the call. By supporting my challenge and donating to a much-loved charity, you really will help save lives."

Inflatables are one of the most common reasons for the RNLI’s lifeboat crews and lifeguard teams to be called into action. The charity advises:

• Choose a lifeguarded beach

• Use your inflatable close to shore and between the red and yellow flags

• Make sure children are supervised

• Never use inflatables in big waves or when an orange windsock is flying

• If you see someone in trouble, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.