A former Suffolk lifeboat coxswain has picked up the MBE he received in The Queen’s New Year’s Honours list

East Anglian Daily Times: Lee Firman became the RNLI's youngest staff coxwain in 2009Lee Firman became the RNLI's youngest staff coxwain in 2009 (Image: Archant)

Lee Firman joined Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station in 1995, aged 17, following in his father’s footsteps.

At 23, he became the youngest ever RNLI second coxswain and became coxswain of the Aldeburgh Lifeboat two years later.

After a few years, Mr Firman moved on to another challenge – becoming the youngest ever staff coxswain, at the age of 30. He was heavily involved in trials of the Shannon-class lifeboat – the newest addition to the RNLI rescue fleet.

More recently, he has been a fleet staff coxswain on the west coast, and is currently working as a divisional operations manager for the RNLI in North Wales and the North West.

Current coxswain Steve Saint, Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station crew and volunteers sent their congratulations to Mr Firman for his award.