MINEHEAD has its first qualified woman lifeboat coxswain in the RNLI station’s 117-year history – after a real-life emergency call gave her the perfect chance to show just what she could do.

Just as 28-year-old Karla Thresher was kitting up to go afloat for a crucial promotion assessment, the station received an emergency call to rescue two boys cut off by the tide three miles away at Blue Anchor.

Immediately, Karla found herself in charge of the station’s D class boat and speeding to the scene – with her RNLI assessor and fellow crew member Phil Sanderson both aboard.

There were two happy endings: the boys managed to scramble back to the beach safely and two hours later Karla qualified to take command of a D class boat.

Her success means she will now be called on day or night to lead rescue missions anywhere between Hinkley Point and Lynmouth in the five-metre, 25-knot inflatable D class – regarded as the workhorse of the RNLI’s fleet.

And in theory she could find herself in charge of an all-female team – health service worker Karla is one of five women crew members at the station.