They nose, you know

Photo: Tim Bradley

Ken Sloane with his dog Robbie from the Woodhead Team.

SCORES of families shared in real life dramas when Oldham mountain rescue team swept into action during a training exercise.

Visitors enjoying the first real taste of winter at Dovestones, had grandstand views of mountain rescue dogs and their handlers from across the UK taking part in a rigorous three-day assessment - part of the Search and Rescue Dog Association’s programme to assess dogs and handlers hoping to join rescue teams.

During the final day, Oldham Mountain Rescue Team dealt with two incidents involving sledges. In one a woman was injured after colliding with a tree and in the second, a man was rushed to hospital with an open leg fracture after falling from a sledge.

OMRT leader Mick Nield, who was helping to supervise the assessment exercise, coordinated the real life rescues with Bob, his seven year old border collie.

He said: “There were hundreds of people watching the training and they all witnessed our work first hand when these two incidents occurred.”

Last year police nationally requested SARDA assistance on 87 searches, involving 435 search hours for volunteer teams.

Thirty dog teams attended the weekend session and seven rescue dogs and handlers took part in the actual assessment, which studied how teams behaved in winter conditions in mountainous terrain. SARDA was formed in 1965 and initially covered the whole of the UK. Today there are England, Lake District, Ireland North, Ireland South, Scotland, South Wales, Southern Scotland, Wales and Isle of Man associations. More info at www.sardadbglabd.org.uk