As an update to our previous story (see news item dated Wednesday 27th January 2010), this morning Deputy Team Leader Geoff Seddon and our Vehicles Equipment Officer Chris Greenhalgh journeyed to the Greater Manchester Police Claytonbrook complex to collect our latest team vehicle.

This is a second-hand Ford Transit 15 seater minibus that has been in use by Greater Manchester Police principally for staff transport duties (it is not a liveried police vehicle).

This has been donated completely free of charge by Greater Manchester Police as a gesture of support to Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, and as thanks for all the assitance that we give to GMP. (An identical vehicle has also been donated to Oldham MRT in late January, with a Control unit style vehicle also having been donated to Rossendale & Pendle MRT in early Autumn last year, again both were donated by GMP as a gesture of support to MRTs operating in Greater Manchester).

This latest acquisition to our vehicle fleet was delivered immediately into the tender care of Frank Hulton at Frank Hulton Motor Engineers Ltd, Farnworth, who looks after all the maintenance, servicing and outfitting of our team vehicles.

Frank has already started on signwrighting decals for the vehicle and the removal of a row of seats to create a small cargo area.

We are hoping to have this minibus commissioned into the team and fully operational by Friday 12th February 2010.

The team’s thanks are expressed to all our friends at Greater Manchester Police for this fantastic donation.

Keep watching the website for news of this vehicle entering team service.