The owner of Tenby's first motorised lifeboat which was launched in 1923 is willing to return the vessel to the town if the old RNLI lifeboat station is converted into a museum.

Lifeboat enthusiast Simon Evans, who lives in Sans, near Paris in France, has 19 lifeboats in his collection at a boatyard.

The John R. Webb, which saved 32 lives during its seven years of service, was rescued by Mr. Evans from a mud flat at Southend-on-Sea around 20 years ago.

It has been suggested that the old station which was constructed in 1905 could be turned into a museum rather than demolished. A new hi-tech lifeboat station currently sits alongside the historic one.

Mr. Evans believes that it would be fitting if one of its original boats was returned should the station become a museum.

"I would be sorry to see her go from my collection, but one has to be realistic and the reality is she has probably got more of a place at home in Tenby than she has in the middle of France," he said.

FOOTNOTE: The decision on whether the old Tenby lifeboat station is to be pulled down still hangs in the balance.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman explained this week that Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority notified Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment service, on January 25, of the application to demolish the old lifeboat station in Tenby. He said: "Cadw's role is to consider whether the application raises such important and controversial issues as to warrant it being recommended for call in for determination by the Assembly Government. "Cadw had 28 days to respond. The application raised issues that required further consideration by Cadw and it has informed the National Park Authority that it needed more time to assess it. However, Cadw expects to complete its assessment shortly. The demolition of any listed building is an option of last resort and Cadw will consider whether alternatives to demolition have been fully explored.

"Cadw's role is to assess the application and recommend to the Planning Minister whether it should be 'called in' for determination by the Assembly Government. If not 'called in' for an Assembly Government decision, the National Park Authority will be able to proceed to determine the application itself."