Hundreds of Islanders turned out on Sunday evening to take part in the annual Tower of Refuge Walk, making the 2025 event another resounding success.

Organised by Douglas City Centre Management and sponsored by Tower Insurance, the popular community walk saw participants cross the sands of Douglas Bay to the iconic Tower of Refuge — a rare opportunity only possible during particularly low tides.

The event, held this year on April 27, once again raised funds for the RNLI, with donations going towards the vital work of the Douglas lifeboat station.

Organisers praised the generosity of those who took part, and the crucial support of the island’s Coastguard services.

In a statement after the walk, Douglas City Centre Management said: ‘Thank you very much to everyone who took part in this year’s Tower Insurance Tower of Refuge Walk.

‘Thank you also for your generous donations to the fantastic RNLI Douglas.

‘We really could not do the walk without the brilliant teams from Douglas & Port Erin Coastguard, and the continued support from Tower Insurance.’

Despite a change in access due to safety concerns over the Loch Promenade steps, the event ran smoothly, with walkers instead entering the beach via the Broadway Slip.

Organisers reminded all participants beforehand to wear appropriate footwear, as the causeway can be slippery and uneven.

The walk, first introduced in 2012, has become a highlight of the Island’s spring calendar, drawing walkers of all ages to enjoy one of the island’s most scenic and historic sites.

The Tower was constructed in 1832.

A bronze plaque on the Tower dated May 1932 states ‘in grateful memory of Sir William Hillary, the founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution who 100 years ago erected this Tower on the St Marys Rock as a warning to all sea craft and as a refuge in case of shipwreck’.