LIFEBOAT helmsman Paul Singleton, known to friends as Flipper or Flip, died peacefully at home on October 23, aged 52.

Mr Singleton joined the Poole voluntary RNLI lifeboat crew in 1982, and over the course of his career on six different boats he went out on more than 1,600 shouts, saving 108 lives.

He was renowned for his boat handling skills and extensive knowledge of the local coastline, and as well as long service badges he was awarded Letters of Appreciation from the RNLI.

He also received Royal Humane Society Awards in 1987 and 2002 for saving people from drowning at Poole Quay during his work as a tug master.

Mr Singleton was born in Poole on May 9, 1961, and went to South Road School and Seldown Boys School, before starting on the tugs at the age of 16.

He joined the RNLI four years later, and married childhood sweetheart Janice on May 17, 1986.

Married for 27 years, they had two children, Ellie, 21, and Lewis, 18, who has followed in his father’s footsteps and also volunteers for the lifeboats.

Serving as Crew, Senior Helmsman and Second Coxswain, and his cheerful demeanour and enthusiasm inspired colleagues and put many stranded seafarers at their ease.

On a shout in 2006 he broke his back and was out of action for three months.

The next year he was selected to represent the RNLI at St James’ Palace and met the Queen personally, and he was awarded a BBC Community Champion Award, and the Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals.

Regarded by his colleagues as a bit of an actor on-shore and off, Mr Singleton was able to promote the work of the RNLI on children’s TV shows The Tweenies and Barnaby Bear Goes To The Seaside, and the ITV documentary Mayday was dedicated to the Poole crew.

He was a life-long football fan, supporting Poole Town, and was linesman at many of his son’s matches.

Mr Singleton was well-known along the coast for his skill, sense of humour and his huge passion for the sea. Over the last nine months of his life he was well cared for by nurses from Marie Curie.

A funeral service was held at St James Church in Poole on Saturday.