GETTY The RNLI criticised the crewmen's behaviour

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Veteran Whitby crewman Ben Law and trainee Joe Winspear, both volunteers, had swapped various “jokey” designs as Secret Santa gifts, with one of their heads superimposed on a naked woman’s body. When a senior female member of staff found the mugs in a cupboard while visiting their headquarters in North Yorkshire, the pair were told to destroy them and that the matter wouldn’t go any further. But in March they were informed the mugs were a “safeguarding breach” because they might be seen by visiting schoolchildren. The pair faced a disciplinary hearing that trawled through their private WhatsApp messages. They were eventually sacked by phone on Tuesday, with four of their colleagues - navigator Steve Boocock, helmsman Martyn Cairns and trainees Neil Cook and Simon Rhodes - who are also volunteers, are said to have quit the RNLI in protest.

In a statement, the RNLI confirmed the two vounteers have been stood down and have the right to appeal, but added this is much more than "saucy mugs". The RNLI said: “Following an in-depth formal investigation at Whitby lifeboat station concerning social media activity and the production of material of an inappropriate sexual nature, two volunteers have been stood down. “These were serious conduct issues which go beyond media speculation around the production and use of offensive mugs. “One volunteer was stood down for social media activity which targeted a member of the RNLI staff without their knowledge and used graphic sexual images which went far beyond banter. “As a responsible employer we cannot take this sort of behaviour lightly.” The group added: “The photographs of the mugs portrayed in media articles are mock ups and are not a true representation of the explicit images that were actually in use at the Lifeboat Station. As a result one volunteer was stood down in relation to this issue. “The lifeboat station should be an environment where people are treated with dignity and respect. Our supporters, volunteers and staff expect the RNLI to act in accordance with these values and would rightly anticipate that there would be serious consequences for anybody who fails to meet these standards.

RNLI Ben Law and Joe Winspear had worked as unpaid volunteers for the RNLI