A new lifeboat has arrived in port and entered service for the first time in Ramsgate.

The official launching ceremony took place on Saturday in the town’s Royal Harbour where the new Tamar class vessel will be based.

‘The Diamond Jubilee’ was originally stationed at Eastbourne and named to commemorate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne in 2012.

She took part in a pageant on the River Thames during the jubilee weekend celebrations.

The new boat replaces the Trent class Esme Anderson which has been in place in Ramsgate for almost 30 years.

She will now go for a refit at RNLI headquarters in Poole and take up station in Eastbourne, replacing the Diamond Jubilee there.

The RNLI designs and assigns lifeboats to stations around the UK and Ireland according to where they can save the greatest number of lives in the most effective way.

The most appropriate lifeboat for a specific station may change over time depending on water use and risks changing in that area.

Following a review, it was decided the self-righting Tamar class is better suited to the needs of the station at Ramsgate.

In a statement after Saturday's event, a spokesperson for RNLI Ramsgate said: “It was lovely to see so many people around the harbour today enjoying the sunshine as we welcomed our new station lifeboat, the Tamar class RNLB Diamond Jubilee to Ramsgate.

“Thank you to the crews from our flank stations at RNLI Margate and RNLI Walmer for joining us on this special occasion.

“The station's current Trent Class lifeboat RNLB Esme Anderson has been on station since August 1994.

“Once the crew complete their training on the new lifeboat, Esme Anderson will return to Poole for a refit before beginning her new role as Eastbourne lifeboat.”