A potential display of support for the RNLI was left at half-mast after Teignbridge District Council ran out of time to discuss the proposal.

Several councillors, and members of the public, were geared up to support a motion for the council to fly the lifeboat charity’s flag from its HQ in Newton Abbot.

Last month Teignmouth Town Council voted to to raise the RNLI flag at its offices, Bitton House, on certain dates to be arranged with the town’s RNLI branch.

But the RNLI motion to the district council’s meeting yesterday (Thursday, November 5), tabled by Dawlish East councillor and local MP Martin Wrigley, was a long way down the agenda, and debates on other matters took up all the available time.

Cllr David Cox, one of those planning to back the motion, said there was ‘anger’ among councillors and the local residents who wanted to show solidarity with the lifeboat charity.

One member of the public said: “I attended today’s Teignbridge District Council meeting to support a proposed motion backing the RNLI and put a question to council.

“I was extremely disappointed that the meeting ran out of time, discussing issues around the Market Hall which were ruled as being something that could not be resolved at today’s meeting, therefore the motion was not heard.

“I had taken time out of my day and had to pluck up courage to speak up for something that is important to me – all for what feels like nothing.”

The plan to fly the RNLI flag as a gesture of local support was in response to attacks and abuse targeted at the lifeboat charity by far right activists, after a lifeboat helped bring a boatload of asylum seekers safely ashore in Portsmouth in September.

Martin Wrigley, who branded the attacks ‘despicable’ at the time, said he was also disappointed that his proposal to the district council had not been heard.

He said: “It’s terribly frustrating, because it’s a really important thing, and and lots of councillors in the room wanted to talk about it as well as members of the public.

“It’s something that we need to talk about, because we have a thriving community of coastguards, Coastwatch, surf lifesavers, plus the RNLI, all feeling attacked.

“The RNLI must not be attacked, they are heroes.”

He said he’s determined to rescue his proposal, and will be talking to the Leader of Teignbridge District Council to see when the motion can next be placed on the agenda.