MOUNTAIN rescue volunteers have received a vote of thanks from people they regularly help out across Darwen.

Rotarians in Darwen have handed over a £250 cheque to the Bolton Mountain Rescue team to leader Garry Rhodes.

This in recognition of the cover the team provides for their annual sponsored walk, which takes in Darwen Moor and Jubilee Tower.

And Blackburn with Darwen Council has provided a further £150 to the mountain rescue outfit for standby cover provided for the fell run section of the Darwen Leisure Centre Aquathon.

Not only did the race take in the tower and Darwen Moor but began with an ascent up Aggies Staircase, before progressing to Sunnyhurst and coming back via Bold Venture Park.

Four Land Rover Defender mountain rescue ambulances, a Ford Transit Minibus and an incident control vehicle, along with 21 volunteers, were placed at the disposal of event organisers.

A Bolton MRT spokesman thanked both the Rotarians and borough council for their continued support.

The same team, this time with 27 team members, stationed at both the Roddlesworth Information Centre and start line, has also recently supported the annual Aggies Staircase Fell Face, organised by Darwen Dashers. The event attracted 116 runners, with all but one finishing the course.