A MAN has started his mammoth challenge to visit all 238 RNLI lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland.

Chris Mason, 57, will be spending his free time over the next year to complete the challenge.

On Saturday 8, Chris will be setting off from Silloth RNLI, stopping at Workington Lifeboat station, St Bees RNLI and Barrow RNLI before ending the day at Morecambe Bay RNLI station in Morecambe.

Chris, a motor mechanic and recovery patrol driver for Seahouses-based auto repair centre AJK Thompson, will be putting his automotive skills to good use, as he will be driving to each station in his trusty Vauxhall Astra, which he describes as ‘old and clapped out’.

So far Chris has raised over £600 and wants to raise 'as much money as possible'.

On where the idea came from, Chris said: "I was watching saving life at sea and i seem to have the same mentality of the RNLI crew and they all seemed to be a tight knit community within themselves.

"I thought what can i do to raise them some money. I love taking photographs, i love driving and i love being at the seaside so put them all together and you may as well visit everyone around the coast."

Chris started his challenge at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, which served as the first lifeboat station in the world after castle trustee Dr John Sharp commissioned the first ‘unimmergible’ lifeboat for Bamburgh in 1786, making Bamburgh Castle the first known lifeboat station of the time.