An Oxford University student has spoken of her pride at being the fifth generation of her family to "save lives" as a lifeboat volunteer.

When she is not studying French and Italian, Katarina Harrison-Gaze volunteers at the Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station in North Yorkshire.

The 19-year-old is often joined by her father Colin, 63, and brother Alex, also 19, although the three have never been on a rescue mission together. 

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Members of the Harrison family have all volunteered at the station for more than 140 years, starting with William Brown Harrison in the 1880s and continued by his son Isaac Ward Harrison and grandson Colin senior, who was Colin’s father.

Ms Harrison-Gaze has been on multiple callouts since joining aged 17.

Oxford Mail: Katarina Harrison-Daze doubles as a volunteer at the Staithes and Runswick Lifeboat Station when

“It is amazing to be able to train week in week out with friends and family sharing one common goal – saving lives,” she said.

She has been on two callouts with Alex, a student at Cambridge University, and described both occasions as “memorable”.

 

"The first one because it was the first time in over 50 years that Harrison siblings had been on a callout together and the second one because I had just done my makeup to go out for a Christmas meal,” she said.

"Once I was on the boat, I realised I had fake lashes on, which were flapping in the wind, so I had to take them off."

The family will be on-call during the festive period and are supporting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Christmas appeal to raise money.

Oxford Mail: Isaac Ward Harrison, Howard Theaker, Frank "Tange" Verrill and William Ward Harrison pictured at

Mr Harrison, who joined in the 1970s, said: "Me and the children are the same, we've grown up not knowing any different because our fathers were involved in the RNLI.

"They weren't only involved in the rescuing, but with the fundraising and supporting it that way.

"As a child so when I was around three or four, I helped at a fundraising weekend.

"I can remember being towed between two lifeboats as part of a demonstration.

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"I don't think I had even started school, so it wouldn't have been allowed now with health and safety.

"It's been engraved in me to support the RNLI - whether that's the fundraising side or rescuing people."

Alex added: "I was never forced to sign up but there's 140 years of this behind me.

"I've personally seen the great work that my dad has done, and I've been involved in fundraising from an even earlier age.

"I always thought I would sign up and then I did when I was 17.

"I am immensely proud to continue the family tradition, along with my sister, of saving lives at sea."