VOLUNTEERS at the National Coastwatch Institution celebrated their new solar panels being plugged in to the grid.

The new panels, at the charity’s Portland Bill lookout, will help provide power and light as well as additional income to the group.

The NCWI is run by volunteers who keep an eye on the coastal waters off Portland Bill, ensuring shipping traffic and pleasure vessels are safe.

The charity group relies on donations from the public to keep it going.

The new solar panels will help them generate income, Station Manager Geoff Peters said, adding: “One of the things about solar is we are now generating an income and paying for our electricity bill.”

The excess energy generated is sold back to the national grid.

The group has been raising funds to get the solar panels for years and said they are extremely grateful to everyone who had helped them make their sustainable energy dreams a reality.

Mr Peters said that people had done all sorts of different things to help them raise the £10,000 needed to get the panels, including people who went round with fundraising buckets and a group of local fishermen who did a risqué calendar which raised £3,500.

Mr Peters said: “The solar panels cost about £10,000. It’s been raised by people doing events for us over the past two years.”

Mr Peters paid tribute to all those who had helped them, adding: “We would like to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported us.”

Volunteers and supporters were invited to a special party to ‘switch on’ the panels last week.

Guests included South Dorset MP Richard Drax and former mayor of Portland Rob Hughes. The event was going to take place at the lookout at Portland Bill but due to bad weather the venue was changed.

Mr Peters thanked the Ocean Hotel at Southwell for allowing them to hold the celebratory switch on and buffet at the hotel instead.