THE RNLI’s latest state of the art lifeboat will make a guest appearance at Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis.

The Shannon class vessel, named R and J Welburn, only recently arrived at the RNLI station in Exmouth and became operational on May 22.

The lifeboat is the first Shannon class lifeboat to be based in the south west and only the second in the UK and Ireland.

R and J Welburn is propelled by water jets instead of propellers and is capable of a speed of 25 knots, significantly faster than the Mersey and Tyne classes of all weather lifeboat.

Lyme Regis RNLI lifeboat operations manager Grahame Forshaw said: “We hope the lifeboat will join the Lyme Regis boat for a welcome display on the first day of Lifeboat Week, July 19 at 1pm.”