RNLI flood rescue team volunteers who carried two young boys from their grandparents' flooded bungalow near Kendal, have made good on their promise and delivered the youngsters a perfect present in time for Christmas.
5 year old Sebastian and 3 year old Jacob Holmes, were among six members of the same family carried out of the house at Levens in the early hours of December 6th by team members, after being found trapped on top of their bunk beds.
As they were frightened, they were given helmets to wear while they were carried to safety (Scroll down for rescue video footage).
The team promised to give them their own Flood Rescue Team helmets once they were safe and well, and delivered the helmets to their home in Lytham St Annes today (Wednesday).
Their dad Alan, who is a well-known rugby player and club director in Lancashire, said: "After the rescue Sebastian and Jacob said they had been promised helmets, but I just assumed it was something the RNLI guys said to coax them out of the house because they were so scared.
"But to take the effort to come up here and meet the boys in person and deliver them in time for Christmas is a fantastic gesture."
Of all the rescues carried out, one of the team’s most difficult tasks for the team was the rescue of Sebastian, Jacob, their grandparents Kevin and Mary, their cousin Haydn and his girlfriend Samara – as well two dogs from the remote property.
They had been stranded for 12 hours and were using flash lights to signal for help while standing on kitchen worktops and bunk beds to escape the rising water.
The boys were being babysat for the night at their grandparents’ home and Alan said not being able to help his children himself was the hardest part: "Helen and I were speaking to the grandparents on the phone while the water was rising. The boys were sitting on the top bunk but they were scared and crying that they wanted their daddy to come and help. We felt so helpless.
"When we heard the RNLI team had managed to get them out safely we were just so relieved. We are both just so grateful.
"It is amazing that a team of volunteers from around the country are willing to drop everything to come to and help those affected by flood."
Their mum, Helen said: "In order to get my terrified children into the life raft the RNLI volunteers had to promise the boys their helmets. But we never thought they would turn up on our doorstep with them in time for Christmas.
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the RNLI, who I am indebted to, not only for putting their lives at risk to rescue my family, but for being awesome human beings."
