A Beer coastguard has reflected on three decades of service which started with a desire to help people.

Aidan Winder joins a long line of crewman who have reached the milestone, after joining the team in 1987.

The retired Devon County Council coastal officer is an officer in charge and a qualified rope technician within the team.

Aidan said: “I had a great knowledge of the coast, so I was invited to join the coastguard at the time. The reason we do it is so that we can simply help people and do some public service.”

The 58-year-old has been called out on hundreds of missions and was called to assist after the grounding of the MSC Napoli 10 years ago.

He said: “We were absolutely in the thick of it dealing with the Napoli.”

Through his work as a coastal officer and coastguard, Aidan said it was important to educate about the dangers of the water and coastline.

The Axmouth resident said: “It is a fantastic environment and a beautiful one, but it can be dangerous and needs to be respected.”

Terry Hoare, station manager, said: “His local knowledge and experience is an asset not just to the coastguard service, but to new members joining the team as well.

“Aidan has been involved in hundreds of shouts; sadly, not all have happy endings, and it is a credit to him that he is still there when the pager goes.

“There have been many changes in the service since he joined the team and I am sure he will see a few more in the years to come.

“Congratulations, Aidan, from the rest of the team and, I am sure, from the community.”

? The team was called out at 4.21pm on Saturday after a man fell 15ft after climbing the cliff at Beer Beach. He suffered an injury to his left ankle, a broken right wrist and was in shock.

The man was treated and lifted on to a stretcher and carried across the beach, where crews waited for an ambulance before he was taken to hospital. The crew of 11 returned to the station at 6pm.