There was special joy for the crew of Tobermory RNLI Lifeboat on Saturday night (17 April) when they rushed a woman in labour to Oban hospital – she was the partner of the lifeboat’s Second Coxswain.

The call came at midnight on Saturday that Maggie Buchanan, partner of Tobermory lifeboat crewmember James Fairbairns, was in labour and needed a swift transfer to hospital.

The RNLI lifeboat launched and took Maggie, James and their midwife to Oban hospital, where Maggie gave birth to a healthy baby girl just minutes after her arrival.

Tobermory RNLI lifeboat Second Coxswain (and proud dad) James Fairbairns said: ‘Maggie and I are over the moon. This was the first time the Tobermory boat has carried out a baby transfer, and we got there in the nick of time – our daughter was very nearly born on the lifeboat! My fellow crewmembers were brilliant – we’d like to thank them very much!’