FOURTEEN lifeboats have been withdrawn from service, including two based at Scottish stations, after a major fault developed in their new engines, writes Ian Smith.

The stations at Montrose in Angus and Longhope in the Orkneys have had to put relief boats on standby for emergency call outs after the problems emerged with the American-made engines.

The Tyne Class boats have been withdrawn just months after a #1.1m refit with Detriot Diesels D-Dec engines. Although no engines have failed during an actual rescue, one did shut down during a training operation, prompting the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to call in all the boats for inspection and repair.

Technicians from Detroit Diesels are examining the boats. It is believed that the engine cylinder seizure problems lie within the computerised management unit of the D-Dec engine.

A spokesman for the RNLI said: ''We have got problems with some twin-diesel engines but they are all being sorted out at local yards. Our call-outs will not be compromised at all, and we hope the fault will be sorted out by February.''

The repairs to the engines, which cost the RNLI charity #90,000 each, are being carried out under warranty.

Spokesmen for the two Scottish stations confirmed that their Tyne Class vessels have been taken out of service and that replacement boats are in place.

The Montrose boat is to be sent to a shipyard in Buckie to undergo repairs, while the Longhope boat may be one of the last repaired because of its isolated location.

Dr Tony Trickett, honorary secretary of the Longhope station, said: ''The Tyne Class is really one of the finest ever lifeboats, but there is a problem with the new engine. At all times the safety of our crews is of upmost importance and the RNLI is extremely wise to have taken this decision.''