A new history of Minehead lifeboat station has been published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the RNLI.

Titled There For Those in Peril, the publication is the work of journalist and former crew member, Chris Rundle.

Mr Rundle, who served as a senior helm and spent 20 years at the organisation, recently completed a 12-year stint acting as the RNLI's local press officer.

The book extensively covers the story of the Quay West station from its inception, sparked by the 1899 overland launch of the Lynmouth lifeboat which underscored a gap in rescue services along the eastern seaboard of Exmoor.

The much-needed Minehead station started operations two years later when volunteers committed to crew the first RNLI-allocated, oar-powered lifeboat.

Over the years, the station saw a succession of progressively advanced boats.

A landmark moment for the station dawned in the 1970s, when traditional boats were replaced by high-speed inshore crafts due to an increase in calls related to leisure and pleasure craft, aligning with the rise in amateur sailors.

The publication provides a visual history of the station's 120 years overseeing a 33-mile stretch of coastline from Hinkley Point to Lynmouth.

This particular region, impacted by Bristol Channel's enormous tidal range - the second largest in the world - presents unique challenges.

Somerset County Gazette: There For Those in Peril was written by journalist and former crew member Chris Rundle

Mr Rundle expressed his desire for the book to be more than just a chronological record, saying: "I have tried to give readers an insight as to how a lifeboat station operates and what becoming a crew member involves, because there is a lot more to the activities of an RNLI station than merely sending boats out to rescue people."

He highlighted the importance of a team that includes fund-raisers and shop staff, stating: "At the moment the RNLI is being unfairly criticised for withdrawing all-weather lifeboats from stations where, thanks to its new, 25-knot fleet, they are no longer required and where the cost of maintaining them cannot be justified."

Emphasising the majority of rescue endeavours are now undertaken by inshore boats, Mr Rundle felt it vital for readers to be aware that these operations are handled by dedicated, skilled volunteers, prepared to confront the challenges of oceanic rescues.

There For Those in Peril is available for purchase on Amazon and the Minehead lifeboat station shop for £10.

All book royalties will go to the RNLI.