On the morning of Friday 15th May 2011, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, was contacted by a Greater Manchester Police Missing Person Search Manager regards the teams assistance in Bury concerning a missing 34 year old woman, in circumstances giving GMP concern for her well being.

The area concerned lay on the border of the teams area with that of our colleagues in Rossendale and Pendle MRT, and the call was passed onto them via GMP, with an offer of assistance to RPMRT should they require such.

At 11.57hrs, Andy Simpson, Team Leader of RPMRT contacted our Team Leader requesting the assistance of the Bolton MRT to join the RPMRT response and to initiate a joint search along with GMP resources.

Both teams and the Police searched throughout the day before the mountain rescue aspect of the search operation was stood down. Later the same day the missing woman was traced by GMP.

Today we can report on the receipt of a letter of thanks from Chief Superintendent J.Rush of Greater Manchester Police, Divisional Commander for Bury.

In his letter addressed to our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Chief Superintendent J.Rush of Greater Manchester Police states;

“I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent support and assistance given recently to Police Officers from the Bury Division by members of the Bolton Mountain Rescue Team.

On 15th April a report was received of a missing woman, and at the time an area of woodland and river very close to the woman’s address was identified as a priority search area.

Due to the urgency of the matter the resources of Rossendale and Pendle MRT and Bolton MRT were requested, who within a very short space of time began to arrive at the scene and were immediately deployed into search zones.

The visible presence of the resources being utilised and the efforts being made to find this woman also provided some reassurance to the watching family.

As you are aware the missing person returned home safe and well and therefore no further searching was required.

Yet again the Mountain Rescue Teams have responded to our request immediately and were able to turn out jointly thirty searchers, fully equipped, for an extensive search.

Would you please pass on my sincere thanks to each and every member of your volunteers that attended this incident, in their own time, and assisted with the search. In recognition of their efforts on this occasion and your continued good work, I have pleasure in enclosing a cheque for £50.00 as a donation to your organisation’s funds.”

The team wishes to express its sincere thanks to GMP Bury Division for this kind donation.