AFTER 12 years of saving lives from the sea around Lyme Regis' lifeboat station chief David Manners is calling it a day.

Mr Manners, 44, who retires at the station's annual meeting on June 8, has seen 446 callouts and 84 lives saved since joining the RNLI.

He said he would take away many happy memories, despite those occasions where the crew were unable to save a life.

"I shall never forget the sad loss of three sea anglers from Chard on June 12 1995," he said. "We were out for 16 hours and covered 2,500 square miles of water.

"It was the longest call out with a motorised boat. I remember one man who stayed by the radio for the whole time and it showed me what a great team we had, because we all carried on."

But, he added, when lives were saved, the feeling was amazing.

Mr Manners said: "I have always said to the more than 7,000 official visitors to the station over the years that being part of a team that saves a life as part of a successful rescue is one of the best 'buzzes' one can get.

"Particularly when you see a family reunite with their child who has floated out to see on an inflatable. It gives me a lump in my throat."

And his happy memories are not just from working at the station, with a particular memory being the chance to meet Tony Blair.

He said: "My greatest honour is to have served the RNLI and to be given the privilege of leading the station.

"I shall miss the tremendous camaraderie of the 35 station personnel. They are an indefatigable credit to the service and even during the most 'difficult' of shouts in the middle of the night, still find humour enough to keep going.

"I cannot retire without publicly thanking the crew, our many supporters and in particular the RNLI Guild at Lyme Regis.

"They too are an extraordinary group of volunteers who have given me and the station immense support over the years and I'm sure will continue to do so with my successor."

Mr Manners, who teaches maths at the town's Woodroffe School has decided it is time to go back to school himself. He is going to study for a PhD in mathematical areas of meteorology and oceanography and pursue research within the Royal Institute of Navigation into the use of shorebased radar in search and rescue."

Time with his family is also a top priority.

Mr Manners added: "More importantly, I want to spend time with my wife, Angela, whose support has been enormous over the years."

Town Mayor Barbara Austin said: "I think David has done a wonderful job, he has been conscientious and hard working.

"The lifeboat is very important to Lyme Regis, the figures show the number of lives they save. Let's hope it continues."

His successor at the station will be Brian Wheeler, 58, who joined two years ago.

Mr Manners wishes Brian good luck: "I'm confident that the RNLI in Lyme Regis will be safe in the hands of Brian, his deputies and crew, as they continue saving lives at sea well beyond the 200th anniversary of the station's foundations."