Rescue hero Andy geared up for solo fund-raising mission

Andy Hadfield pictured ahead of his mammoth fund-raising motorbike ride

A dedicated member of Oldham Mountain Rescue Team has set off on a solo five-week round motorcycle trip to Cyprus to spearhead a unique fundraising effort.  

Plumber Andy Hadfield (59), who chose Cyprus as his end destination because of family links, is using his once-in-a-lifetime trip to raise money towards replacing the team's Land Rovers. 

He said: ”Biking across Europe to see my family in Cyprus was on my bucket list.

"Now I'm really excited by the opportunity and to see where the journey takes me.”

He is taking two different routes and only using other transport methods to cross water, and he plans to camp out many nights along his journey.

Currently the team has two Land Rovers which are now 14 years old, and they have set out a timeline for their replacements to ideally be purchased by the end of 2025.

Oldham Mountain Rescue Team do not receive central funding to replace vehicles and the primary focus for replacements will be through fundraising and generous public donations.

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