AFTER years of planning and more than one year of building, Girvan’s new £2.1 million Shannon Class all-weather lifeboat, will be launched this month.

Sunday, December 10 will see the Mersey Class lifeboat 12-37 Silvia Burrell, which has been in service for some 25 years, replaced.

Members of the RNLI volunteer crew have already made several trips to RNLI HQ in Poole to carry out advanced training, to operate the new lifeboat while others have been completing additional training at Girvan.

Craig Sommerville for Girvan Lifeboat Station, said: “When Girvan lifeboat station had its coastal review a couple of years ago, it was announced that our Mersey class lifeboat 12-37 ‘Silvia Burrell’ was nearing the end of its 25-year operational life, and to this end it would be due to be replaced.”

The Shannon Class lifeboat will arrive at Girvan Lifeboat Station this Sunday. 

Those who are interested can attend the launch at 12pm to enjoy tea, coffee, stalls, BBQ, entertainment and much more with music from Deja2 and character mascots from L.A.

There may be even a special visitor in a red suit, and of course their own special guest Stormy Stan. 

The  arrival of the new boat takes place at 1:23pm, to coincide with the boats hull number.

There will be a demonstration of the new boat.