The ninth Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit will take place on July 17 to raise money for The Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society.

Open to ordinary yachtsmen, the 26-mile race takes participants around the Hand Deeps Buoy, west of Eddystone.

Entrants must raise a minimum of £50 sponsorship and the charity’s chief executive, Commodore Malcolm Williams CBE, said the pursuit, which bills itself as a chase rather than a race, was a great opportunity to support fellow seafarers and their families.

He said: ‘Our work involves supporting retired and incapacitated seafarers who have devoted their lives to the sea.

‘Unfortunately they often retire on meagre incomes and rely on financial help from us to make their later years just a little more comfortable.

‘An event such as the Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit is a chance for sailors to give something back to others from within the seafaring community.’

In the last year 2,327 former seafarers across the country have benefited from the Society’s support, including grants totalling more than £1.6 million.

The organisation received 744 new applications for assistance last year – the highest since 2005 – showing that its help is still much in demand, particularly in the harsh economic environment.