A LYTHAM lifeboat lady is to get a royal reward for her outstanding service to the RNLI.

Mary Russell, pictured, has worked with the St Annes-on-Sea Ladies Lifeboat Guild for more than 26 years and is to be honoured with a special award presented by HRH The Princess Royal next month.

Mary, from Blackpool Road, Ansdell, will travel down to the RNLI's annual general meeting on May 18 at the Barbican Centre in London with two other award recipients from the Fylde.

Roland Darbyshire, from Blackpool, and Maureen Haresnape, from Thornton, are also receiving honours for their tireless work with the lifeboat charity. Mary has been secretary of the Lytham station souvenir shop since 1989 but first became involved with the RNLI in 1974. "We moved to the area in 1973 and my family got involved in sailing with the Blackpool Light Craft association at Squires Gate," said Mary.

"It was in 1974 when I got involved with the RNLI and I became secretary for the St Annes Ladies Lifeboat Guild. "A great deal of that involved fund raising for the lifeboat crews and I actually received a Silver Badge award in 1987.

"I found out about this award earlier in the year when I received a letter inviting me down to the presentation at the AGM. It is a great honour, but the award is not just for me. It is for all the people who work within the guild and for the RNLI, without whom we would not have been able to raise any funds.

"I'm really looking forward to the ceremony.

"My husband and I are travelling down to London a few days before to see some of the sights and then we are invited to the reception in the afternoon.

"Of course I am very excited about meeting the Princess.

"I had seen her once before, though, when she came to Lytham to see Yehudi Menuhin many years ago, but of course I never got to shake her hand."