A service of thanksgiving will be held to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI. It will take place at Chowbent Chapel on Bolton Old Road, Atherton on Sunday at 10.30am.

And among those going will be Preston Thomas, originally from Cornwall - and he is appealing for any Cornish folk who have moved into the area to join him. He will be wearing traditional Cornish outfit and says it would be good to have his fellow countrymen and women there given the RNLI connection with Cornwall and the work the lifeboats do in coastal areas. Earlier this year the Smithills community came together to honour the volunteers at a life-saving charity, which is celebrating 200 years.

Resident Sheila Taziker organised the event after wanting to do something special for the volunteers at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)..