The family of amateur sailor Simon Speirs, who tragically lost his life when swept overboard while taking part in a round-the-world yacht race, have donated £140,000 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Simon Speirs, a retired solicitor from Bristol, drowned in November 2017 in rough seas in the Southern Ocean west of Fremantle, Australia, while taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The donation is from the proceeds of a settlement with the race organiser, with no admission of liability.

Mike Speirs, Simon’s son, said: "We believe that supporting the RNLI is the best way to honour our Dad's memory.

"He loved the sea and was a strong advocate for maritime safety. We hope that by donating this money we can help the RNLI continue to save lives at sea.”

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, providing a 24-hour, 365-days-a-year lifeboat search and rescue service around the coasts of the UK and Ireland and a seasonal beach lifeguard service. The charity relies on public donations.

A spokesperson for the RNLI said: "We are very grateful to the Speirs family for their generous donation which will be used to fund the casualty room at the new Tower Lifeboat Station on the River Thames in London.

“This new facility will provide a dedicated space for the treatment of casualties and will include state-of-the-art equipment to aid lifesaving work at the RNLI’s busiest lifeboat station.”