Meridian Eastbourne News

The funeral of a dedicated fundraiser for Eastbourne lifeboats was interrupted this morning when the crew had to rush to an incident off Sovereign Harbour.

St Richard's Church in Langney was full of people paying tributes to Daphne Lake when the lifeboat crew's pagers interrupted the service.

The on-duty crew rushed to help a vessel in Sovereign Harbour when a man onboard suffered a severe allergic reaction.

The casualty was stabilised by paramedics and transferred to the lifeboat where he was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital.

Later, friends of Daphne said she would have been delighted with the drama at the church, which would have made her day.

• UK
• RNLI
• Sovereign Harbour

A woman from Sussex has given birth in the back of a car just three days after the controversial downgrading of maternity services at Eastbourne District General Hospital. Charlotte Wilkins reports.

• Health
• Eastbourne

More results from #Eastbourne Alan Shuttleworth (LibDem) has won Langney & Mike Blanch (LibDem) has won Hampden Park. http://t.co/TA0HL2ZKcC

From @EastSussexCC on Twitter: (12:08 am, Fri 03 May 2013)

Another two from #Eastbourne Barry Taylor (Con) has won Meads and Colin Belsey (Con) has won Ratton. http://t.co/TA0HL2ZKcC

From @EastSussexCC on Twitter: (12:12 am, Fri 03 May 2013)

• UK
• Local elections
• Eastbourne

Bank Holiday Monday sees stock car racing return to Arlington Stadium in Eastbourne, as the Big Van National Bangers take to the raceway.

Vans, minibuses and even the odd ice cream van or ambulance, will be given one last hurrah before the scrapyard as they compete around the small oval track.

• UK
• Sussex
• Eastbourne

Eastbourne lifeboat was called out twice on Tuesday to rescue two yachts that had suffered engine failure.

The first call for the all-weather lifeboat was to the 32ft ketch Lazy Days which had suffered a recurrence of the engine failure which prompted a call-out for the ALB on Sunday afternoon.

As the lifeboat was approaching harbour with the boat under tow the crew received another request for assistance from another yacht with engine failure on the approaches to Sovereign Harbour.

• UK
• Eastbourne
• East Sussex

An inquest into the death of a patient who died at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital fifteen years ago, has been hearing from the doctor who cared for her.

Dr Jane Barton told the coroner that ninety-one year-old Gladys Richards was dying, - and that that was the reason she was put on the drugs she was prescribed. Mrs Richards' family say they are not convinced. Andrew Pate reports.

• Health
• Gosport War Memorial Hospital
• Gladys Richards

With just over two weeks until the county council elections, the Chief Secretary to The Treasury, Danny Alexander, hit the campaign trail in the south east today. He came to Eastbourne, where the Lib Dems have achieved major success.

But the latest opinion polls suggest heavy losses for the party on May the 2nd. David Johns' report contains some flash photography.

• UK
• council
• voting

• UK
• Coastguard
• Eastbourne

A lone sailor has been rescued by the coastguard off the coast of Eastbourne in near gale force winds.

A distress call was made at around 8pm on Friday night. When the lifeboat arrived the 38ft yacht was on its side with a broken mast.

A man in his 60s was rescued from the cabin of the yacht which had run aground on a rocky ledge.

Frank O’Neill, Watch Manager, Dover Coastguard said: "This was a challenging situation for the rescue units, due to difficult weather conditions".

• UK
• Coastguard
• Eastbourne

A man and a teenage boy - just 15 at the time - have been jailed tonight for a 'senseless' attack on a man described as a gentle giant. Chris Poole had taken his dogs for a walk - when he was approached outside a shop in Eastbourne. Charlotte Wilkins reports.

• UK
• Eastbourne