Another chapter in the proud history of Tenby RNLI was opened on Saturday when the town's new inshore lifeboat was formally handed over and dedicated.

The £14,500 D class ILB Georgina Stanley Taylor has been in service in the town since January, and has already been called into action on 27 occasions.

It was due to be officially handed over earlier in the year, but the ceremony had to be postponed due to the foot and mouth outbreak.

There were no setbacks on Saturday, however, when even the sun came out to watch the lifeboat receive a champagne christening from its donor, Mrs. Georgina Taylor, of Wiltshire, before taking to the waves to the suitably rousing accompaniment provided by Tenby Brass Band.

The new inshore lifeboat is the second to be donated to the town by 80-year-old Mrs. Taylor in memory of her husband, Stanley.

Their interest in the RNLI began when the couple farmed on the Scilly Isles, and one of Mr. Taylor's dying wishes was that a lifeboat should be named after him.

The previous Tenby inshore boat was therefore named Stanley Taylor in his honour and served the town from 1993.

When Mrs. Taylor donated the new vessel, she was persuaded to add her own christian name as well, in recognition of the support she has given to the RNLI.

Mrs. Taylor's nephew, Richard Gray, told guests at the dedication that gratefully she agreed to this in recognition of the support and friendship she received from the RNLI and the people of Tenby.

In officially receiving the new lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI, Mr. Michael Vlasto, the RNLI's operations director, praised the Tenby station and its "enviable record and fine crew."

He was also pleased to note that the station maintains its strong family tradition, with sons following fathers into the crew.

Indeed, the three inshore crew members who gave Mrs. Taylor a trip on the new craft following the ceremony were siblings Ben, Peter and Robert James!

Mr. Vlasto felt that the Tenby crew would look after the new vessel and put it to good use around the "very challenging piece of coastline."

He then handed it into the care of the Tenby station where it was received by honorary secretary, Arthur Squibbs.

In his last official engagement in the post before retiring this week, Mr. Squibbs thanked Mrs. Taylor for her generosity.

The service of dedication was carried out by Rev. Mark Soady, team vicar of Tenby.

Also donated were a new quad bike tractor to launch the lifeboat, from the Bridgnorth branch of the RNLI, and a trailer given by Mrs. Margaret Burton, of Birmingham, in memory of her husband.

Tenby's previous inshore lifeboat is now in action on the Suffolk Broads as part of the RNLI's policy to reduce deaths on open water each year.