A volunteer lifeboat worker has been commemorated for his 40 years of service with a giant mural overlooking the sea.
The huge painting was created to honour Mike Jones, who started volunteering at the RNLI in New Brighton on the Wirral in 1980 when he was just 18.
Painted by the Australian graffiti artist Smug One, the Unsung Heroes mural covers the side of a house on Virginia Road in New Brighton meaning Jones, depicted wearing a life jacket, is looking out towards the Irish Sea.
“It’s very humbling,” Jones told the PA news agency. “It’s embarrassing, but it’s nice.”
Jones, who works in a school, said he has been a fan of boats since he was a child and one of the reasons he enjoys the role is “the toys we play with”.
However, he said one of the main draws is the people he has met along the way.
“It’s helping other people, and the teamwork – the camaraderie of the crews,” he said. “Everybody works together as a team, one big team all the time. It’s one big family.”
Ian Thornton, operations manager at New Brighton Lifeboat station, said: “This is a fantastic and fitting tribute to an amazing person who has volunteered for 40 years with the RNLI.
“Due to the location of the mural, Mike will always be looking out to sea to keep an eye on what’s going on.”
