Lifeboat Called Out To Angling Boat
Report and photograph with thanks to Paul Harrison HM Coastguard, MRCC Liverpool

AT 11:53am on Sunday 22 July 2007 Southport Lifeboat was tasked to assist a Broken down Angling
vessel called the “Northern Lights”. On board her where two persons. The boat had suffered an engine failure due to contaminated fuel, just 12 Miles of the Southport Coastline. The Northern Lights was taken under tow and returned safely to Ainsdale beach by SORT's new Lifeboat.

SOUTHPORT MP ASKS MOD TO 'SPARE THE BEARS' FROM BECOMING GUARDS' CAPS

SOUTHPORT'S Liberal Democrat MP, John Pugh, has signed on to a new Early Day Motion (EDM 1040) – tabled by Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe and supported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Europe (PETA) – which calls for the House of Commons to recognise that public opinion polls show that nearly 70 per cent of the British public want the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to stop using real fur for the ceremonial bearskin caps worn by the Five Guards' Regiments. The new EDM – which aims to end the MoD's purchase of skins that come from Canadian black bears who are shot, maimed and killed – "invites the MoD to end their use and substitute hats made from a modern synthetic material" and has so far garnered 126 signatures.

Recently, dozens of cross-party MPs converged outside Parliament wearing synthetic bearskin caps emblazoned with PETA's iconic "No Fur" logo and holding a banner calling on the MoD to "Go Fake, for the Bears' Sake". Many of the MPs had supported an EDM in the last Parliamentary session – tabled by Labour MP Chris Mullin – which garnered the support of 207 MPs, making it one of the most popular motions in that session.

It can take the entire hide of one bear to make just one guard's headpiece. The skins come from bears shot in Canada, including many who are shot several times before they die. Some bears escape the hunters and slowly die from blood loss, gangrene, infection, starvation or dehydration. When mother bears are killed, orphaned cubs are left behind to starve.

"John Pugh is a true friend to animals, and we commend him for his compassionate and progressive stance.  With MPs speaking out against cruelty to animals, the bear slaughter may soon go the way of fox hunts, fur farms and other abominations which have no place in 21st century British society."  says PETA campaigns manager Anita Singh.

A PETA representative in a bear costume has been dogging Prince Charles at all royal engagements – both in the UK and internationally – begging him to "Save My Skin". The "bear" can also be seen every day outside Buckingham Palace, where he informs tourists and guards that "bearskins are for bears, not guards". PETA has enlisted high-profile support from Tony Benn, the late Lord Stratford, James Cromwell, Sir Roger Moore, Morrissey, Julian Clary, Pamela Anderson, Twiggy, Amanda Holden, Hayley Mills and others in calling for a ban on bear fur in the Household Guards' headwear.

For more information, please visit www.PETA.org.uk.