LIFEBOAT crews in North Yorkshire and the East Riding came to the rescue almost 200 times last year - making it their third busiest year ever.

During 2007, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers tackled emergencies involving everything from broken-down boats to people trapped by high tides or swept away on inflatables.

Crews based at lifeboat stations in Scarborough, Filey, Flambor-ough, Bridlington, Whitby, Staithes and Withernsea were called out to 199 incidents - bringing the total to 403 in the space of two years.

The missions included one in November where three people died after being pulled from the North Sea off Whitby by lifeboat crews in atrocious weather.

The RNLI also provided vital help during last summer's floods, with Filey-based volunteers taking to the streets in dinghies to ferry stranded residents from their homes as torrential rain swamped the town.

The figures have been released as the RNLI charity gears up for its national SOS Day of fundraising on Friday, which hopes to highlight the crews' courage and raise around £500,000 to keep the lifeboats afloat.

Andrew Ashton, the RNLI's divisional inspector for the north, said: "We expected rescue figures to be down for 2007 because of the particularly bad summer, but clearly it didn't put people off heading for the coast and setting out for sea.

"This means our lifeboat crews have to be constantly prepared to help anybody who gets into difficulty at sea at any time of day or night, summer of winter.

"To be able to do that, they have to be fully-trained and properly equipped, and that is why SOS Day is so important. The RNLI receives no government funding and depends entirely on the public, so the money raised will ensure our crews receive the training they need and have the lifeboats and other essential equipment which enable them to carry on saving lives at sea."

Barry Robson, coxswain and mechanic at Filey RNLI station, believes the work of the crews is often taken for granted.

He said: "Three people never came back after the boat capsized in Whitby and that shows the power of the sea - it does not take prisoners.

"We are as professional an outfit as any, but it is often overlooked that, at the end of the day, we are voluntary and we need the public to support us. It has to be remembered how much time and work our crews put in.

"People can also keep themselves safe by respecting the sea and making sure their boats are properly equipped with radios, flares, lifejackets and other basic safety equipment.

"If you are on a beach, check the tides and the forecast, and if you're using inflatables, tie them to something on the beach."