AN AWARD winning police officer has donated his prize to the RNLI.

Vinny Jones, of Rhyl, was recently awarded the 2018 North Wales Police Federation Community service award for £500 in November, which he has now donated to the Rhyl station's Shannon class lifeboat appeal.

Mr Jones, who also serves on Rhyl lifeboat crew as a volunteer inshore boat helm, recently met with station lifeboat operations manager Darrel Crowther recently to hand over the cheque.

Mr Crowther said: "This typifies Vinny's involvement with the crew at Rhyl, and the station is proud that he has donated his prize to us, to continue saving lives at sea."

The police officer, who is based on the Force Roads Policing Unit in St Asaph, received the award in recognition of his dedication, commitment and loyalty to the RNLI

He was also recently featured on a rescue on the BBC Two documentary Saving Lives at Sea, which showed his involvement saving two boys after they had got into difficulty off Rhyl beach.

A spokesman for Rhyl RNLI, said: "The station would like to congratulate Vinny on his award, and we wish him well in his volunteer work with the RNLI."

Mr Jones now hopes to be fully qualified as a lifeboat coxswain by the time the Shannon lifeboat comes on service in October, and is presently working through his assessments.