Hosepipe ban scuppers lifeboat's charity car wash

A lifeboat crew has had to cancel a charity car wash following a hosepipe ban.

Hornsea Inshore Rescue planned the event on Saturday to raise money for a new cafe at the lifeboat station, but Yorkshire Water's ban, which was announced earlier this week, comes into force on Friday.

It is the second time the crew has had to cancel events due to water issues after its New Year's Day Dip was scuppered by sewage alerts.

Leading coxswain Karl Shannon said: "Its no fault of Yorkshire Water's, we've had no rainfall this year whatsoever so far. However, it is another fundraising event that we have had to cancel, which is losing crucial funds for us to keep our operation running."

"If members of the public when they pass the bucket or a tin in the shop could drop a couple of pounds in, it will certainly help our lifesaving experience down here."

Hornsea Inshore Rescue said the new Rescue Rooftop Cafe would be "a fantastic new addition" that would "support the future of our local lifeboat station".

Yorkshire Water announced the hosepipe ban on Tuesday.

It means household customers must not use a hosepipe for activities such as watering the garden, washing the car or filling a paddling pool. Anyone flouting the restriction could be fined up to £1,000.

However, there are exemptions for businesses such as garden centres which rely on hosepipes for commercial reasons.

In January, Hornsea Inshore Rescue had to call off the New Year's Day Dip due to "sewage overflow events".

The charity sea swim is one of the organisation's biggest annual fundraisers and has been running for 14 years.

At the time, Yorkshire Water apologised and said it was investing more than £1bn over the next five years to reduce discharges in the region.

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