Life-saver's painting will help put fund-raising in the picture

Trevor Loftus has painted a dramatic oil picture of the current Lytham St Annes lifeboat in action on a stormy night which is being sold to boost the RNLI Shannon appeal.

He joined the Royal Air Force as a young man and spent most of his service career in the RAF Mountain Rescue Service.

Now assistant secretary of Lytham St Annes Art Society, Trevor decided to paint a dramatic picture which would be sold to help the Shannon appeal, which is looking to raise £275,000 towards a new lifeboat.

The picture – 30” x 20” on a stretched canvas – shows the current lifeboat working with an RAF search and rescue Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley in an imaginary scene in Liverpool bay, at night, where a crew member from a yacht has been washed overboard and because of the bad weather the remaining crew could not find him.

The sea is rough and both the lifeboat and helicopter use their searchlights in an attempt to locate the casualty.

Trevor, who lives in Elswick, has been painting in oils and watercolour since the age of 10 and trained for two years at Oldham College of Art and Design.

During his RAF career he continued to paint and has exhibited at the Mall Gallery, London with the Armed Forces Art Society.

The painting is being exhibited for sale at the Lytham St Annes Art Society Spring Exhibition in the Fylde gallery on the first floor of Booths supermarket in Haven Road, Lytham and Trevor said: “It is a great cause and I hope it raises a good amount.”

Lytham St Annes RNLI spokesman David Forshaw said: “Trevor really shows his skill and talent in this painting as well as his expert knowledge of the RAF Sea King helicopters.

“His very generous offer is greatly appreciated by all at Lytham St Annes Lifeboat Station. He is still helping to save lives with his painting as he did when in the RAF - thank you Trevor.”

The free exhibition which showcases all the members’ artwork runs daily until May 20.