The RNLI has confirmed that St Davids is to be one of four stations across Wales to receive a new £2.7million Tamar-class lifeboat.

The local crew have received letters officially allocating the station at St Justinian with the new lifeboat, which will be named RNLB Norah Wortley, funded by the bequest of Diane Mary Symon, who died in 2010.

The new lifeboat will eventually replace St Davids RNLI's Tyne-class vessel Garside, which was allocated to the station in 1988.

Designers are still putting the final touches to plans for a new lifeboat station at St Justinian, but they are due to be submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority this month.

If planning permission is granted, building work is expected to begin sometime next year.

Jim Phillips, RNLI lifeboat press officer for St Davids said: "A new lifeboat station is needed to house the new Tamar class lifeboat which has been allocated to the station and to provide up-to-date facilities for the crew which cannot be accommodated in the existing building.'

RNLI divisional inspector for Wales Colin Williams added: "The Tamar is the most technologically advanced lifeboat ever produced by the RNLI, we owe it to our volunteer crews to provide them with the very best lifeboats."

A public meeting was held in St Davids last week to discuss plans for the new building at St Justinian, which have been in development for a number years.

For the full story on the public meeting see tomorrow's (Wednesday) Western Telegraph.