Burnham-On-Sea Hovercraft Official Web site - BARB Burnham Area Rescue Boat Hovercraft, Somerset, UK

Thank you for visiting the official Web site for BARB, the Burnham-On-Sea Area Rescue Boat, in Somerset, UK.

BARB is a registered charity that operates two life-saving rescue hovercrafts and an inshore rescue boat in the Bridgwater Bay area.

This Web site provides all the latest BARB charity news, launch reports, station information and fundraising updates.

Please bookmark this site by clicking here and return reglarly.

.Latest BARB News

Beach kiting group gives hovercraft charity's funds a boost
NEWS POSTED: 27 June, 2009

Beach kiting enthusiasts at Brean have raised hundreds of pounds for the charity which operates Burnham-On-Sea's rescue hovercrafts. The South West Association of Traction Kiting (SWATK) held its annual get-together in the resort last week and raised £227 for BARB, the charity that operates two life-saving hovercrafts. More...

Tug of war pulls in funds for Burnham hovercraft charity
NEWS POSTED: 26 May, 2009

Hundreds of pounds was raised for two good causes during a fundraising tug-of-war in Brent Knoll, near Burnham-On-Sea, on Bank Holiday Monday (May 25th). Seven teams tried to out-pull each other during the event at the Brent Knoll Inn. It was held to raise funs for the Somerset Air Ambulance and Burnham rescue charity BARB. More...

Burnham's MP and council chief visit hovercraft charity's AGM
NEWS POSTED: 16 May, 2009

Burnham-On-Sea's MP David Heathcoat Amory was in town on Friday evening (May 15th) to present several awards at the AGM of hovercraft rescue charity BARB. The MP joined almost 50 people at the Town Council Chambers in Jaycroft Road, where he heard about a busy year of rescues, fundraising activities and special visits for the Burnham charity. More...

Bikers roar into action to raise funds for Burnham rescue charity
NEWS POSTED: 11 May, 2009

Hundreds of pounds was raised for a Burnham-On-Sea charity on Sunday (May 10th) when dozens of motorbikers took part in a fundraising cycle ride. A total of 55 bikers from across the South West took part in the 110 mile tour of Somerset, which began at Highbridge's Bristol Bridge Inn. More...

Funding boost for Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft charity
NEWS POSTED: 4 May, 2009

Burnham-On-Sea's rescue hovercraft charity is among two local groups to share a funding boost of more than £1,000 this week. The money was raised at the Tyntesfield Masonic Lodge annual Ladies Night, held at Cadbury House Hotel near Bristol, earlier this year. More...

Drama during Prince Edward's visit to Burnham hovercraft
NEWS POSTED: 24 April, 2009

Drama occurred during Prince Edward's visit to Burnham-On-Sea's rescue hovercraft station on Friday (April 24th) when crews were called out to an actual incident on the mudflats at Brean. The Earl Of Wessex was visiting the seafront headquarters of BARB to mark the fifth anniversary of the Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft going into service. More... | Gallery | Video

BARB crewmembers help search for lost girl on Burnham seafront
NEWS POSTED: 14 April, 2009

A search was launched for a five year-old girl after she went missing among crowds of holidaymakers on Burnham's seafront on Bank Holiday Monday. The youngster became separated from her family and was missing for almost 15 minutes, prompting an urgent search by police and volunteers from BARB. More...

Prince Edward set to visit Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft station
NEWS POSTED: 8 April, 2009

The Earl of Wessex is set to visit Burnham-On-Sea's hovercraft station later this month, marking the fifth anniversary since the life-saving Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft went on service. He will be arriving at the town's BAY Centre on the afternoon of Friday April 24th and will then be driven to the seafront headquarters of BARB, the charity that operates two life-saving rescue hovercrafts. More...

Call-out drama for Burnham Sea Cadets during visit to BARB HQ
NEWS POSTED: 5 April, 2009

Members of Burnham-On-Sea's Sea Cadets visited the town's Coastguard hovercraft rescue teams on Thursday (April 2nd) - and got to see a real incident unfold around them. The eight youngsters were given a tour of the Coastguard station on Burnham seafront where they met the station's crew, who explained their safety role. More...

Beach anglers reel in hundreds of pounds for Burnham charity
NEWS POSTED: 4 April, 2009

Over sixty anglers lined Burnham-On-Sea's beach for a charity fishing match on Sunday (March 22nd), raising hundreds of pounds for a local charity. The long-established competition, organised by Weston Outcasts Sea Angling Club, was well supported by 64 anglers. More...

Burnham bellringers pull in funds for rescue hovercraft
NEWS POSTED: 8 March, 2009

Bellringers at a Burnham-On-Sea church have handed over a donation to BARB, the charity that runs the town's two rescue hovercrafts. The St Andrew's Church bellringers raised £52 for the charity - and this week presented the donation to BARB in the bell tower at the church. More...

Burnham hovercraft charity receives £400 boost from Moose International
NEWS POSTED: 2 March, 2009

Members of Burnham-On-Sea Moose International have this week handed over a chqeue for £400 to BARB, the charity that runs the town's two rescue hovercrafts. BARB Secretary Roger Flower was handed the cheque by Moose Brother John Cuff, Moose Lady Treasurer Doreen Ateyo, and Moose Lady President Yvonne Cornelius. More...

.Latest BARB Incidents

Hovercrafts join search for missing swimmers off Weston
NEWS POSTED: 24 June, 2009

Two rescue hovercrafts from Burnham-On-Sea have this afternoon (Wednesday June 24th) joined the search for two missing swimmers in the Bristol Channel. The hovercrafts were launched at 1.20pm and are now being used to scour the mudflats and shoreline between Burnham-On-Sea and Brean Down. More...

BARB boat crew called to help with wildlife rescue on river
NEWS POSTED: 16 June, 2009

Wildlife rescuers called on the help of a Burnham-based rescue boat crew to retrieve an injured swan this week. Secret World staff requested the assistance of the BARB rescue boat at Burtle, where the animal had been spotted in a distressed state on the Huntspill River. More...

Family of five helped from mudflats next to Brean Down
NEWS POSTED: 14 June, 2009

A rescue hovercraft and a team of Coastguards rushed to Brean on Sunday afternoon (June 14th) after five people got into difficulty on the mudflats. Beach wardens raised the alarm after spotting two children, aged 9 and 12, with three adults struggling in waist-deep mud besides Brean Down approximately half a mile from the shore. More...

Injured swan rescued by boat crew on Burnham-On-Sea lake
NEWS POSTED: 5 June, 2009

A rescue boat was used to retrieve an injured swan from a Burnham-On-Sea lake on Friday evening (June 5th) after a razor-sharp fishing hook became embedded in its beak. The female swan had been spotted in an agitated state by staff at Lakeside Holiday Park, who reported it to local wildlife charity Secret World, who in turn called on the help of Burnham's BARB rescue boat. More...

BARB called to trapped van swamped by rising tide on Burnham beach
NEWS POSTED: 24 May, 2009

A big rescue attempt to try and save this stranded vehicle took place on Burnham-On-Sea beach on Sunday evening (May 24th). The van's wheels became stuck in soft sand and mud near the town's jetty at 6.10pm, prompting a call-out for rescue charity BARB. More...

Stranded car lost to incoming tide on mudflats at Brean
NEWS POSTED: 10 May, 2009

A 4x4 vehicle which became stuck on the mudflats at Brean beach on Sunday evening (May 10th) has been completely lost to the incoming tide. The Nissan Patrol 4x4 vehicle got into difficulty in soft sand after being driven approximately half a mile out from the beach near to Brean Down. More...

Van stuck in mud at Berrow is pulled to safety, thanks to BARB team
NEWS POSTED: 9 May, 2009

A van was towed to safety on Saturday evening (May 9th) after it became stuck in soft sand and mud on Berrow beach. Burnham-based charity BARB was called to the scene shortly after 5pm after being alerted by a nearby resident. More...

Stranded boat towed to safety from Brean mudflats
NEWS POSTED: 29 April, 2009

A fishing boat on a trailer had to be towed to safety after its owner got into difficulty in mud on Brean beach on Wednesday evening (April 29th). Burnham-based charity BARB used its tractor to pull the stranded craft from the mud, about a quarter of a mile from the shoreline, as pictured here. More...

Hovercraft called to Brean during Prince Edward's visit
NEWS POSTED: 24 April, 2009

Burnham-On-Sea's hovercraft crew was called to Brean after two anglers got into difficulty during Prince Edward's visit to BARB, the charity behind the rescue service on Friday (April 24th). The pair had been fishing on rocks at the foot of Brean Down and were trying to get back to the shore as the tide came in when they encountered problems in the mud. More...

BARB hovercrafts help with rescue of stranded cattle in river estuary
NEWS POSTED: 17 April, 2009

A herd of cows trapped in the River Parrett estuary near Burnham-On-Sea prompted a huge rescue operation on Friday afternoon (April 17th). Five fire crews from across Somerset, plus two rescue hovercrafts and a tractor from Burnham-based charity BARB, were called to West Huntspill at lunchtime after seven bullocks were reported to be stuck in deep mud. More...

Hovercraft called out after elderly man falls into riverbank mud
NEWS POSTED: 4 April, 2009

Emergency services were called to Burnham-On-Sea Sailing Club on Saturday (April 4th) after an elderly man fell from a boat and became stranded on the muddy banks of the River Brue. Police, Coastguards, paramedics and a rescue hovercraft were sent to the South Esplanade at 6.30pm, after eyewitnesses said a man had become trapped waist-deep in mud. More...

Hovercraft called to vehicle stranded on mudflats at Brean
NEWS POSTED: 21 March, 2009

ONE of Burnham-On-Sea's two rescue hovercrafts was called to Brean on Saturday morning (March 21st) to check whether anyone was inside a vehicle trapped in mud almost a mile from the shore. A local resident raised the alarm at 7am after spotting the Vauxhall Corsa, pictured here, stuck on the mudflats near Brean Down. More...

.Hovercraft News Archive

More Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft news:

Hovercraft charity receives £400 boost from Moose Lodge [March 2, 2009]
BARB helps Police and Coastguards in search [March 1, 2009]
Third vehicle in a week gets stuck on Burnham beach [Feb 18, 2009]
Stricken fisherman helped by BARB crew [Feb 15, 2009]
Injured swan retrieved by boat crew after hitting power lines [Feb 1, 2009]
Pub quiz raises £120 for BARB funds [Jan 27, 2009]
Bingo players raise funds for hovercraft charity [Jan 18, 2009]
Father Christmas drops in at hovercraft station! [Dec 21, 2008]
West Country MEP visits Burnham hovercraft [Dec 13, 2008]
Caravan Club makes bumper donation to hovercraft [Nov 25, 2008]

Click here for earlier Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft news stories

.History of the Burnham hovercraft

The story behind Burnham's 'Spirit Of Lelaina' hovercraft

BARB, the group that runs the hovercraft, was formed in 1992 when it began fundraising for its first rescue craft and own boathouse. In June 1994 Anneka Rice and the BBC TV show Challenge Anneka came to the rescue, building us a boat house on Burnham seafront in just 72 hours!

With the help of a generous grant from The Foundation for Sport And The Arts, plus donations from local businesses, BARB was able to purchase the rest of the equipment it needed in order to become fully operational as a rescue boat service.

Following the tragic death of five year-old Lelaina Hall in the mud at Berrow in 2002, the Western Daily Press launched a hugely successful fundraising campaign which brought in a whopping £115,000.

This funded the purchase of a fully-equipped hovercraft - called The Spirit Of Lelaina - which is now stationed in the boathouse at Burnham. During its first summer of operation it helped and rescued up to 50 people. The Western Daily Press and its readers remain one of the biggest supporters of the service, raising many thousands of pounds towards its operation.

.Challenge Anneka team built seafront HQ in just 72 hours!

How BBC's Anneka Rice built BARB's hovercraft station...

The hovercraft station which today houses the Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft was built in a matter of hours in 1994 during a flying visit by Anneka Rice and the crew from the popular BBC TV show Challenge Anneka.

The group behind the Burnham Area Rescue Boat had been formed in 1992 when it began fundraising for its own boat house. In June 1994 Anneka Rice came to the rescue, building a boat house on Burnham-On-Sea seafront in just 72 hours!

The BBC's TV crew were on hand to record every part of the rapid construction and the final TV show was broadcast on BBC1 a few months later in the prime-time Challenge Anneka show. Click here for the full story and photos.

.Burnham's powerful tides in the spotlight on BBC show

BARB helped BBC's Jeremy Clarkson and 'Top Gear'

A Toyota Futura was left looking rather worse-for-wear after Jeremy Clarkson and the BBC Top Gear team submerged it in the sea at Burnham in October 2003!

Crew members from the Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB) helped the BBC crew put the off-road vehicle through a rigorous challenge by seeing whether the vehicle could survive one of Bridgwater Bay's notorious storm tides.

The vehicle was parked on the town's jetty and left to nature's forces - but, not suprisingly, the sea won and the vehicle failed miserably! The episode was shown on primetime BBC television and helped to demonstrate the danger of the tides along Somerset's coastline. Click here for the full story and photos.

.Hovercraft Background

Facts, figures and photos regarding Burnham-On-Sea's Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft:

Technical facts about the hovercraft
Find out how hovercrafts work
Challenge Anneka to the rescue!
Hovercraft Web sites and links

.How to contact us

EMERGENCIES: If you need urgent help, CALL 999 and ask for the Coastguard who will summon the hovercraft if needed.

OTHER CONTACTS: Call BARB's Chairman on 07834 635 797. You can also write to us at: BARB, Marine Rescue Centre, The Esplanade, Burnham, TA8 1BB.

.Donate to BARB

BARB is a registered charity that relies solely on donations to run its service. Its annual running costs are over £30,000. Unlike other rescue groups, no-one at BARB is paid - we are all volunteers - so every penny raised is put towards rescues, training and maintaining our equipment.

Support us by sending cheques, payable to 'BARB', to BARB at Marine Rescue Centre, The Esplanade, Burnham, TA8 1BB.

Become a sponsor: Find out who supports and sponsors Burnham's hovercraft and how you can get involved - here.

.Meet Our Crew

Hovercraft lifesavers

Click here to see the Burnham hovercraft team

.BARB Sponsors

Hovercraft sponsors

See a full list of the companies and groups that help BARB - click here

.BARB Online Video

Click here to watch a short video about the work carried out by BARB's volunteers.

.Facts & Figures

Learn more about the capabilities of the Burnham-On-Sea hovercraft:

Facts and figures about the Spirit of Lelaina

.Launches

BARB's recent call-outs and launches:

Injured swan rescued by inshore boat crew [June 21, 2008]

Coastline searched after parachute sighting [June 1, 2008]

Stranded fire engine pulled to safety [April 17, 2008]

Trapped ambulance pulled free on on beach [April 13, 2008]

Wartime bomb safely detonated on Stert Island [April 10-12, 2008]

Family rescued as 4x4 gets trapped in mud [April 5, 2008]

Stranded beach survey vehicle towed to safety [March 28, 2008]

BARB rescue boat helps bird rescuers after oil leak [Feb 21, 2008]

Hovercraft helps in search for missing fisherman [Feb 8, 2008]

Hovercraft rescues girls from Weston-super-Mare mudflats [Jan 20, 2008]

Both hovercrafts launched in search for mud walkers [Sep 3, 2007]

Hovercraft helps rescue stranded autistic child from mud [Aug 27, 2007]

Hovercraft scrambled as children get stuck on mudflats [Aug 24, 2007]

Hovercraft called to stranded Berrow windsurfer [Aug 18, 2007]

Hovercraft rescues family of three stranded in mud on boat [July 31, 2007]

Yacht runs aground on Stert Island, prompting call-out for hovercraft [June 10, 2007]

Animal experts call out hovercraft to help trapped deer [June 4, 2007]

Hovercraft called to Brean amid fears for mud walker [June 2, 2007]

Car trapped in soft sand is pulled free on town's beach [May 12, 2007]

Stranded tractor pulled to safety after getting trapped in mud [April 29, 2007]

Inshore lifeboat launched to help rescue injured bird at Pawlett [Jan 14, 2007]

Hovercraft called to investigate 'suspicious object' [Jan 7, 2007]

Injured swan rescued by inshore rescue boat and Secret World [Dec 3, 2006]

Injured cygnet retrieved by animal rescuers and BARB [Nov 27, 2006]

BARB rescue boat crew recovers injured swan [Sep 30, 2006]

Sinking fishing boat rescued by hovercraft [Sep 17, 2006]

Hovercraft rushes to Brean as family gets stuck in mud [July 26, 2006]

Injured swan at Combwich rescued by BARB [July 22, 2006]

Hovercraft called out as boys swim to Stert [July 17, 2006]

Hovercraft called out as netball team gets stuck [June 30, 2006]

Hovercraft flies out to couple amid concern for their safety [June 11, 2006]

Sighting of 'suspicious object' in mud sparks call-out [May 13, 2006]

Hovercraft flies to the aid of injured dog walker at Berrow [May 10, 2006]

Jet skiers' stranded van rescued from the sea in town [April 16, 2006]

Young couple helped backed to shore at Brean Beach [Jan 21, 2006]

More rescues...

.Beach Safety

The beaches at Burnham-On-Sea, Brean and Berrow are among Britain's most scenic coastal areas, but there are dangers here too. Take note of these tips:

Beach guide and safety advice for visitors

.Photos

Hovercraft photo gallery

Click here for photos of the Burnham hovercraft

BARB is supported entirely by voluntary contributions. Registered Charity Number 1031263.