A volunteer who keeps a watchful eye along the coast around Teignmouth has been presented with a long-service award for his dedication to the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) in Teignmouth

Tony Parker received his ten-year service certificate and badge from NCI Teignmouth station manager James Campbell on Monday (January 20).

As he presented Tony with his award, James thanked him for his service and dedication and described him as ‘a stalwart’ of the station. ‘You always know the watch is in safe hands when Tony is on duty,’ James commented. ‘It’s impossible to arrive before Tony; he’s always in early,’ he added.

Tony, who spent 40 years as a barber at Brimsom’s in Newton Abbot, signed up as a volunteer after hearing about NCI Teignmouth from one of his customers.

He arrived at the station just after the current Eastcliff lookout tower was completed.

NCI Teignmouth is the ‘ears and eyes’ along the coast between Torbay and the Exe Estuary. It is staffed entirely by volunteers. The organisation receives no public funding and is completely reliant on voluntary contributions and donations.

Based in the old coastguard station at Eastcliff in Teignmouth, volunteers keep watch from the lookout tower during daylight hours looking for people or vessels who might be in difficulty or distress.

If they spot anybody in trouble, they initiate and coordinate a response alongside other agencies such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI), HM Coastguard, the police, ambulance service and Border Force agency.

Volunteers keep watch during daylight hours for 365 days a year. The team also operates two webcams, which can be viewed on its website, and provides advice on local sea conditions and weather reports.

Visitors are welcome to visit the lookout whenever it is open.