A BID To raise much-needed funds for lifeboat volunteers has seen hundreds of pounds collected.

Lia Osborne decided to set up a page encouraging people to donate to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution after she heard the news of the search for 15-year-old Ben Quartermaine.

Ben and a friend were spotted in distress in the water close to Clacton Pier on Thursday at around 6.20pm.

Clacton RNLI volunteers were quickly on the scene and managed to pluck Ben's struggling friend from the sea.

The search for Ben was suspended on Saturday morning when a body was found close to Clacton Pier.

Essex Police has provisionally identified the body as that of Ben.

Lia said: "I think I speak for everyone when I say the recent events at Clacton beach have really affected us in many ways.

"We tend to forget that the sea is really truly dangerous and I feel we also don’t give the RNLI enough recognition.

"They’re all volunteers who selflessly devote their time to training and keeping us safe when we’re spending days down the beach.

"This charity deserves more credit than it gets, please share this and donate what you can."

Supporters have already managed to raise more than £300 since the page was set up earlier today.

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/lia-osborne