An East Coast woman has left £1 million to the Lowestoft lifeboat. Now a new vessel – named after Patsy Knight – looks set to be built within the next few years to serve the town thanks to the bequest.

Patsy died in May 2005, aged 63. According to friend Hilary Watts, Patsy used to spend her spare time watching the lifeboat crew practising their manoeuvres. ‘She had great admiration for the crew and the time they devoted to volunteering,’ Mrs Watts said.

‘She loved the coastline and beaches, and she would watch the lifeboat manoeuvres from her homes, so she felt it was a worthy cause.’

Mrs Knight also left more than £1m to Cancer Research UK.