THE volunteer lifeboat crew of Hoylake RNLI will be taking to the small screen next week as they feature in the first episode of the BBC TV series Saving Lives at Sea.

Now in its fourth season, the documentary series, which showcases the lifesaving work of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), will be aired on BBC Two on Tuesdays at 8pm, as well as being available on the BBC iPlayer following broadcast.

The new 10-part series features real rescues carried out by the charity’s volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards around the UK and Ireland – including Hoylake RNLI.

Each programme gives a unique insight into the lives and work of the charity’s lifesavers who are needed more than ever before, rescuing thousands of people and saving hundreds of lives around our coastline and on inland waterways every year. The new series features more dramatic real-life rescue footage, accompanied by emotive testimonials from the volunteer crews, lifeguards and the people they rescue and their families.

This forthcoming episode, on August 27, sees Hoylake RNLI volunteers assist in the rescue of two horses stuck in thick mud, alongside rescue stories from their colleagues at other stations and beaches around our coasts.

Hovercraft crew member Ian Farrall took part in the rescue and says: 'I’m very much looking forward to seeing some of the work we do at RNLI Hoylake featured on TV. We rely on public donations, so Saving Lives at Sea is great because it gives people a chance to see exactly how their donations help us save lives, whether they be human or animal!'

Filming took place over the past year, with lifeboat crews and lifeguards carrying special cameras and welcoming film-makers into their day-to-day life. Rescues from the RNLI’s archives are also revisited, and we get a glimpse into the everyday lives of the thousands of men and women who give up their time to save lives.

Last year alone, RNLI lifeboat crews around the UK and Ireland rescued 9,412 people, saving 211 lives, while the charity’s lifeguards aided 32,207 people and saved 118 lives on some of the UK’s busiest beaches.

Saving Lives at Sea begins on Tuesday 27 August at 8pm on BBC Two, and will continue throughout August, September and October.