MPs and councillors are calling for an urgent rethink on removing payments for coastguard rescue officers (CROs) fearing it could have dire consequences for Devon’s coastal communities.

The 400 volunteer officers operating across 36 teams in the two counties are considered a vital lifeline responding to emergencies at sea and helping in other rescue missions.

They are among 3,500 highly trained coastguard volunteers across the country who currently receive an hourly remuneration for incidents.

In September that is due to end as a result of a legal challenge over the status of volunteers and a subsequent Court of Appeal hearing which confirmed that they qualify as “workers” and are entitled to statutory benefits such as sick pay and holiday pay.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) says it has decided to transition to a “revised volunteer model” ending the £11 an hour payments for call-outs.

But the move has provoked anger across the country and particularly in Devon and Cornwall with people being urged to sign a petition so the issue can be discussed in parliament if it reaches 100,000 signatures by October 13.

MPs took part in a Westminster Hall debate on the issue last week. Coastguard officers who gathered outside the meeting said they were “deeply saddened” at the move and called for a pause to allow negotiations to take place.

The MCA spokesperson said the decision followed a legal judgment which meant it needed to change how the service operates, adding that the revised volunteer model had been chosen "after careful consideration" to "best protect the future of the service".

“We deeply value and recognise the significant service CROs provide along our coastline and we will be supporting them during this transition.”

"This decision follows a legal judgment, which means we need to change how the service operates. This is not something we wanted to do but is a consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling.”

The UK parliament petition entitled ‘Introduce legislation to make it possible to remunerate emergency volunteers’ was started in Scotland by John Bradbury, who spent over 50 years with HM Coastguard and received an MBE in recognition of his decades of dedicated service to saving lives at sea.

It can be found here at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/763675 

It has attracted more than 12,000 signatures - meaning the Government must respond. The petition says: “The Government needs to recognise the essential role volunteers play in the emergency service sector by introducing legislation allowing organisations to remunerate emergency volunteers whilst preserving its volunteer status.”

The MCA said the new working model "protects choice, flexibility and the ability for people to volunteer alongside their primary employment."

The spokesperson added the MCA "deeply value and recognise the significant service" of CROs and would be "supporting them during this transition".

"The Coastguard Rescue Service will continue to maintain a robust, effective search and rescue response, ensuring the highest quality of service and levels of safety."