After around 40 years operating from the same station, the Needles Coastguard and Rescue Team (CRT) has a new home.

The volunteers are now operating from their new station at Golden Hill Fort, Freshwater, offering a spacious, modern and well-equipped space to prepare for search and rescue missions. With a dedicated training room and washing and drying facilities, and located in the heart of the community, the team of 11 will be even more ready to respond to those in need.

Senior coastal operations officer, Andrew Woodford, said: “This is great news for both the team and the Island, as we are now in a much better place to respond to call outs and undertake training activities.

“The station is future-proof, so it will be there for officers for years to come, it looks the part, and has all the facilities we need in a much more suitable space. A fit-for-purpose station is such an important part of coastguard training and response, so this is a brilliant addition to the service which will have clear benefits.”

After 12 months of planning, and costing more than £200,000, the building and fit-out took around three months to complete, with the final touches added last month, marking its operational status. An official opening ceremony for the new station will take place later this year.