Three generations of a lifeboat family - with something very important in common - have got together to thank Valero Pembroke Refinery for another generous fuel donation to the RNLI.

Tenby RNLI Deputy Launching Authority Geoffrey Martin came to the lifeboat station recently to recognise another round of the vital fuel donation. And he brought along his lifeboat crew member son and lifeboat-mad two-year-old grandson - also both called Geoffrey Martin!

As well as having the same name - the Martin family also have close ties with the Pembroke refinery, as grandad Geoff was a former employee and son Geoff currently works there.

The kind fuel donation is a regular gift to both Angle and Tenby RNLI. The first donations were made in 2005 and help the two stations’ volunteer crews save lives at sea.

Grandad Geoff said: “Fuel is one of the RNLI charity’s greatest costs and we’ve had another busy year of launches for our lifeboats. Without fuel we wouldn’t have been able to get to people in need of assistance at sea and bring them to safety - it’s a vital ingredient in what we do.”

Figures for 2015 showed that Tenby RNLI’s lifeboats launched 55 times, rescuing 52 people and saving two lives. Angle RNLI’s lifeboats launched 41 times, rescuing 53 people and saving eight lives last year.

Lewis Creese, Angle RNLI coxswain, said: “We’ve had a busy year so far this year so the fuel donation from Valero has been especially vital. On behalf of everyone at Angle RNLI I’d like to echo the thanks to them.”

The RNLI is also very grateful to KP Thomas fuel distribution for collecting the free fuel and delivering to both Tenby and Angle without charge.

Valero public affairs manager, Stephen Thornton, said: “Pembroke Refinery has been supporting our communities in West Wales for generations, and as we celebrate our 11th year of assisting Tenby and Angle RNLI lifeboats with fuel oil donations it is wonderful see how our multiple generations connected to the refinery have been involved in saving lives at sea.”