After years of launching its lifeboats from the water, the Teddington Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is today (Wednesday, 1 April), trialing a new fully amphibious rescue vehicle, which is suitable for land.

The craft was taken out for its first test run earlier today, taking to Teddington's High Street.

Speaking about the new vehicle, a spokesperson for Teddington's launch authority said: "Oh, we're all very excited. This is going to change how we all operate. We are all really looking forward to seeing how the trial goes."

If the trial proves successful, the station hopes the new vehicle will help it reach nearby incidents faster.

Teddington RNLI's Station Operations Manager, Matt Allchurch, added: "The river gets really busy in the summer. Going by the road saves a lot of bother."

The trial is expected to run over the coming months with the station reporting early results back to the RNLI.

For now, however, the crews say they "are ready whether that is on the river or on the road".

You can watch a video of the trial on Teddington RNLI's Facebook page here.

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Happy April Fools from everyone at Teddington Nub News.