Exclusive by Frances Earlam

A MORETON mother has made a special visit to a local lifeboat service to thank the crew for rescuing her 12-year-old son and his friend.

Lisa Winson, mother of Scot Winson, who was rescued along with fellow St Mary's School pupil, James Malpeli, accompanied the boys to New Brighton lifeboat station to personally thank the men who saved them.

The boys had been cycling along the shore behind Leasowe Castle on a fine Sunday morning with another friend when Scot and James clambered across the rocks to the shoreline dragging their bikes behind them.

The boys sat on the rocks for a while unaware that the tide was swiftly coming in behind them. A friend, who was on the beach saw their plight and alerted a lifeguard, who called the coastguard.

James recalled: "The lifeguard called to us and told us to stay where we were. We were getting quite worried but we were embarrassed too."

Scot added: "I felt sick. We had to get on to the highest rock because the water was coming in behind us. It came in really, really fast.

"We don't usually go on the rocks, we usually stay on the beach. We're not going on the rocks again!"

New Brighton Lifeboats Operations Manager Peter Shillinglaw said: "Our boat was out with Hoylake Lifeboat escorting the Clipper boats when we got the call from the coastguard.

"Hoylake lifeboat picked them up off the rocks and then transferred the boys to the New Brighton boat. The boys were very lucky to be seen. It was a big tide, they were 200 yards from shore and they could easily have been washed off the rocks.

"They were extremely lucky to be seen."

This week Scot, James and Lisa visited New Brighton lifeboat station to meet and thank the crew and drop off a thank-you card.

The boys and Lisa were treated to a guided tour of the lifeboat on dry land.

Lisa, 37, said: "When I saw the coastguard walking up my pathway I was really shocked. I thought what has he done?

"I did shout at Scot and told him that it was a really dangerous and silly thing to do. I don't think he'll be doing that again. "The lifeboat crew do a fantastic job and it's all voluntary. I just wanted to thank them for rescuing the boys."