by Graham Tutthill

Dover lifeboat has had one of its busiest summers on record.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s latest statistics show that the Dover crew launched 35 times in June, July and August, up from 25 the previous summer.

Kent lifeboats responded to 195 calls for help in those three months.

The busiest station was Ramsgate with 42, then Whitstable on 38 followed by Dover. Walmer inshore lifeboat launched 11 times.

"Dover has been phenomenally busy this summer in comparison to last year – there have been rescues to swimmers in trouble in Folkestone, boat breakdowns, and people cut off by the tide or ill on board their vessels," said RNLI Divisional Inspector Andrew Ashton.

"In August they had six call-outs over a two-week period.

'Lifeboat stations have carried out a great deal of rescues, exceeding even last year’s launch figures. While public awareness of our safety messages has increased demand for our lifeboats has been higher than ever possibly down to more people holidaying at home this summer, and the good weather Kent has seen, the best for a number of years."