The lives of four people were saved and 82 people plucked to safety by the crews of Sheppey’s two lifeboats last year.

Two vessels, the rigid inflatable inshore Eleanor, now replaced with Buster, and the all-weather George and Ivy Swanson, were launched 83 times.

A total of 86 people were rescued, according to figures released by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. Of those, seven were aged under 18.

Spokesman Vic Booth said: “Four of those were recorded as saving people’s lives.”

Among them were two kayakers saved off the Leas at Minster in July and a 61-year-old man who fell overboard at Lower Halstow in July and spent two hours in the water before being rescued.

The number of missions for Sheppey, which is one of the RNLI’s busier stations covering the Island, Swale and Thames Estuary, has remained fairly static over the past five years.

Mr Booth said: “We see our service as a last resort. We’d prefer it if the number of rescues goes down and people paid more attention to safety messages. You must give water the heathy respect it deserves if you want to stay safe at the seaside.”

Last year more than 2,000 people were rescued from the seas around coast of the South East.

Glen Mallen, the RNLI’s lifesaving manager, paid tribute to the volunteer crews.

He said: ‘Once again, we are extremely grateful for the dedication shown by our lifesavers.

“Our lifeboat crews collectively spent more than 42,800 hours at sea.

“Anyone in a boat should wear a lifejacket and check their vessel before going to sea.”

If you are trapped on cliffs or see an emergency from the shore, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

RNLI lifeguards will once again be patrolling Sheppey’s beaches at Leysdown, Minster and Sheerness this summer.