Incident 94/2013

At 14.52hrs we were contacted via SARCALL by GMP to provide our assistance with a developing search operation for a missing man in the Radcliffe area of Greater Manchester.

With ten team members immediately available at the time engaged in some rope work training in the vicinity of Cadshaw, alongside four Cheshire SART members co-training alongside us, a full team call out page for further members was made at 15.01hrs, prior to which our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE had received a full briefing from the GMP Force Duty Officer.

Assembling at circa 15.30hrs onwards at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ with other responding Bolton MRT team members, all necessary team equipment thought required for this search was prepared, including our SAR Boat, Catering Trailer and the mobilisation of our Support Group members to provide catering assistance.

Given the size of the potential search area (We have been on previous searches, rescues and exercises here) it was decided to call on further support from Cheshire SART and also from Rossendale and Pendle MRT.

By 17.21hrs after a period on hold by GMP whilst further information on the missing 48 years old male was obtained, all our assets left our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ for the Search RVP at Cams Lane / Sion Street, Radcliffe, alongside the River Irwell.

En route and near to the RVP with some members already at the RVP, news was received that the missing male had been located by a family member in a park on the outskirts of Radcliffe, and responding members were requested to ‘hold to’ until this could be confirmed by GMP, which it was at 17.40hrs.

A full team stand down from this incident was confirmed by GMP at 17.50hrs once it was established the male was safe and well.

The following resources deployed to this search incident ;

• Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; 35x Call Out list members and two Support Group members (Iain Clarkson and Gary Melia) plus all six of our Team vehicles, our SAR Boat and our Catering Trailer. All stood down responding.
• Cheshire Search and Rescue Team; Four team members deployed alongside the
• Bolton MRT main response with a further three stood down responding.
• Rossendale and Pendle MRT; Team on standby to assist Bolton MRT once the search areas had been determined. Stood down at our stand down.
• Greater Manchester Police; Force Duty Control Room / Force Duty Officer, 1x GMP Missing Person Search Manager, Divisional Police resources.

**Included within the Bolton MRT response was our Mountain Rescue Trailing Dog Handler Steve Nelson (a member of SARDA (Wales) ) and his specialist Mountain Rescue Trailing Dog Boris.