The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was not due to arrive on station for another five years. Even though our Lynn News Hunstanton Lifeboat Appeal helped raise the money in just 16 months, a lengthy commissioning, building and delivery programme for RNLI lifeboats across the country meant it would not normally have been ready until 2013.

But bosses at the charity headquarters in Poole, Dorset, overwhelmed by the success of local fundraising and the dedicated efforts of our readers, have now confirmed the boat will arrive on station three years ahead of schedule.

The order for the boat will be placed in around eight months, and will arrive at Hunstanton in 2010.

RNLI training divisional inspector Richard Wynn said: "Lynn News readers played a fantastic part in local fundraising efforts for the Hunstanton lifeboat and we are absolutely delighted the lifeboat will be on station in 2010."

Hunstanton RNLI lifeboat operations manager Robin Rafferty was also delighted with the news. He said although the station's outdated Atlantic 75 is still operational, the crews can't wait for the arrival of the Atlantic 85 .

"We can't thank the people of Lynn and West Norfolk enough in raising the money for this lifeboat. It has been outstanding," he said. "The sooner we can get the boat, the better."

In the meantime, the charity needs to look at the station itself, as its currently only big enough to house the 7.5-metre Atlantic 75, which has been in service for ten years.

In order to store the 8.3 metre Atlantic 85, the station in Old Hunstanton will either have to be modified or rebuilt.

Bosses are also looking at the possibility of creating a new purpose-built station on a different site within the Old Hunstanton/Hunstanton area.