MORE than 6,000 people flocked to the RNLI's Open Weekend, where they enjoyed a host of activities including a behind the scenes tour of the charity's new £14.5m boatbuilding centre.

Visitors jumped at the chance to meet volunteer lifeboat crew, lifeguards and other staff who work for the maritime rescue organisation at Poole's West Quay Road headquarters.

They also enjoyed access to the charity's unique training facilities - the Sea Survival Centre and RNLI College.

An RNLI spokesman said: "Visitors enjoyed exciting rescue demonstrations by the RNLI Flood Rescue Team and RNLI lifeboat crew volunteers as well as a capsize demonstration in our sea survival pool by the lifeboat crew trainers.

"Lifejackets were checked by our community lifesaving team in our free lifejacket clinic and our heritage education team entertained younger visitors with talks about Grace Darling in the Children's Zone and opportunities to try on vintage lifejackets.

"A big thank you to everyone who came along to support us and learn more about how the RNLI save lives at sea."

The All-Weather Lifeboat Centre's official opening took place on Friday, and marked the completion of a 27-month project.

RNLI staff say the new centre will secure a supply of all-weather lifeboats for future generations, as well as producing 90 new jobs and helping the charity save more than £3m a year.

RNLI chief executive Paul Boissier said: "The All-weather Lifeboat Centre is an investment in lifesaving for generations to come and craft that will be built and maintained in this centre will safely bring them home from the sea, back to their loved ones."

Each year the Poole centre will produce six new all-weather lifeboats, and maintain many of the 160 vessels in the RNLI's current all-weather fleet.

Two of the RNLI's youngest fully qualified crew members, John McDermid, 17, from Arranmore in Ireland, and 20-year-old Caryl Jones from Porthdinallaen, Wales, did the honours at Friday's opening ceremony.

They rang a bell as the doors of the centre raised for the first time.

These bells will be rung every time a newly built all-weather lifeboat is launched.