A group of volunteers at Lyme Bay have been flying the flag for coastal safety by taking part in a more than 2,000 mile station-to-station relay as part of a charity’s anniversary.

National Coastwatch has been celebrating its 30th anniversary with a mammoth relay. The special flag is travelling anti-clockwise to each of the charity’s 60 coastal watch stations over the course of the summer.

Starting in Fleetwood, Lancashire, the journey will end at the country’s most northerly station, Filey- in North Yorkshire, this September.

At each station, the volunteer watchkeepers who help save lives around the coast have been creating innovative ways to pass the 5ft by 3ft flag to waiting crews in neighbouring stations.

Anniversary flag leaving Hive Beach held up by Judy Clarke and Mr Cleeves Palmer, deputy Lieutenant of DorsetAnniversary flag leaving Hive Beach held up by Judy Clarke and Mr Cleeves Palmer, deputy Lieutenant of Dorset (Image: Nigel Lea) The flag is tagged, and relayed using many different types of transport including boats, ferries, tractors, horse and cart, classic cars, as well as walking and running.

At the station in Charmouth, volunteers received the flag on Saturday, July 13, from watchkeepers at NCI Exmouth who arrived on foot. A day later, the flag left Charmouth on foot along the South West Coast Path via the Anchor pub at Seatown down to West Bay.

From West Bay, the flag departed by gig, the Bucky Doo, escorted by the gig, Blaize, and a motor launch, Shearwater, en-route to Hive Beach at Burton Bradstock.

The flag was then swam ashore, where the High Sheriff of Dorset, Anthony Woodhouse, and the station manager for Lyme Bay, Judy Clarke awaited.

Judy said: “This year is an exciting milestone and it’s great for us all to come together, take part in some extra fundraising and have some fun in our own community at the same time.”

anniversary flag at Hive Beach held up by Judy Clarke and Mr Anthony Woodhouse, High Sheriff of DorsetAnniversary flag at Hive Beach held up by Judy Clarke and Mr Anthony Woodhouse, High Sheriff of Dorset (Image: Nigel Lea) On Monday, July 15, the relay continued with the flag leaving NCI Lyme bay at 10:30am to NCI Portland. The Flag travelled by tramper, an off road mobility aid, provided by Countryside Mobility and courtesy of the National Trust at Hive Beach, accompanied by Tamarisk Farm horses, to Bindbarrow.

Then the Tamarisk Farm horses travelled to West Bexington where the flag was taken by a Tamarisk Farm tractor to The Lemon Tree at Swyre.

A Triumph Stag then took the flag to The Kings Arms in Portesham, then travelled to the Chesil Beach Centre by a 1935 Beardmore Taxi.

It then made its way to the Portland Heights Hotel on Portland and finally on foot along the South-West Coast Path to NCI Portland.

Sirius Insight, a technology company using AI (artificial intelligence) to transform safety and security at sea, is sponsoring the national flag relay.