In what is considered a first in coastal rescue services, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service officers were experimenting with their new time-saving tool, the Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) at Blackpool's North Pier for coast guard officials and pedestrians passing-by the North Pier.

The life-ring show was used to show the effectiveness of the ALP in rescue operations involving wayward locals and tourists who, for one reason or another, have fallen in to the frigid coastal waters.

Paul Thompson, Preston Station mananger, said: "As far as I am aware this is the first of its kind.

All the local firefigters will be trained on the ALP and, according to Mr Thompson, the service should, "go online by March 17".

"It's not a complex procedure."

The ALP is a true Lancashire invention. According to Mr Thompson, the platform was initiated by a member of the Lanacahire Red Watch after an incident in 2006 .

The ALP is mounted on the back of a firetruck and looks like the cherry picker platform used by construction workers to hoist themselves up when working up high.

It has lights attached to the cage-barrier in order to help guide coast guard officers.

Working from a firetruck parked on the seawall, the ALP has the capacity to reach out 21 meters over the sea, deploying the life ring further than the standard method of throwing it directly from the seawall.

Ian Alder, Lancashire Red Watch manager, added: "People in the water will see we're there to rescue them and they can hang-on for just a few seconds longer in order that we can rescue them."

According to the Blackpool Beach Patrol, 254 people had to be rescued after falling in to the sea in 2006.

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