Clare Pritchard says dealing with an emergency is an "adrenalin burst"

Clare Pritchard, from the Liverpool Arms on Conwy quayside, is the first woman crew member since the RNLI station was set up forty years ago.

Ms Pritchard is on call 24 hours a day and within months of joining has helped in her first real-life emergency.

"It's fantastic, you get treated like one of the lads really," she said.

"All the lads have been really supportive and everything. They've made me feel really welcome," she added.

The landlady first got involved with the lifeboat crews collecting funds in a jar on the pub's bar.

The first shout that she actually turned out on - when she stopped shaking - she was super Aled Williams, Conwy RNLI

She said: "I know all the lads because they used to come down to the pub anyway.

"I thought I'd be able to do some charity work for them because I'd never heard of any woman doing it before.

"I got talking to them and they told me to along to see if I like it. I came out on a few training sessions and applied."

A few months after signing up, Ms Pritchard is already qualified and she has been called out to help in an engine failure rescue on Conwy river, leaving her boyfriend in charge at the pub.

"It was a real adrenalin burst, I was so nervous," she said.

Members of the crew were already regulars at the pub

Aled Williams, Conwy RNLI station mechanic and training officer, praised the station's newest recruit.

"The first shout that she actually turned out on - when she stopped shaking - she was super," he said.

"She behaved wonderfully I would have thought for a first shout.

He added: "It's very exhilarating. You do get quite a good return for yourself for helping somebody."

Only 10% of RNLI crews now come from the traditional maritime background. Mr Williams said recruits were now drawn from all kinds of sources.