FOR the fourth year running, the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association has dealt with a record number of rescues across Wharfedale, Nidderdale, and Littondale.

Members also assisted with operations further afield, most notably helping to evacuate trapped residents during the devastating floods in Cumbria and York.

And, with the team predicting that the high level of callouts will continue this year, it has decided to start work on an extension to its current headquarters in Grassington.

The work has been in the pipeline for five years and, even though the group has only raised half of the estimated cost of £240,000, it feels the extension is vital to cope with the increasing demand on its services.

"We have been working hard to generate funds for some years and while it is a bold decision, we need the increased building," said Phill Nelson, one of the team's four controllers. "We exist to save lives and that is our priority."

During 2015, the team dealt with 57 callouts - seven more than the record-breaking 50 attended in 2014 - as well as six stand downs. It was the eighth year out of the last nine where records were broken. The callouts totalled 1,805 manhours.

The team, consisting of 60 highly-trained volunteers, were stretched to the limit over a two-month period in late summer with a staggering 19 callouts and a further four incidents where the team were stood down after preparing for the rescue at their HQ.

Even when faced with such extraordinary demands and with many happening during working hours when members were at their paid employment, the team controllers managed to form a rescue team, maintaining the group's proud record of responding to every request for assistance by the police over its 67-year history.

Phill said that once again the incidents were wide-ranging rather than in any specific category.

He added: "Dealing with fatalities had reached an average of six a year but the last three years have seen a significant reduction, with three last year. It is hard to draw conclusions but we feel our policy of striving to acquire state-of-the-art communications technology has certainly enhanced our callout and indeed search systems as have our casualty care training and qualifications systems which, being run and controlled by NHS professionals from within the team, gives every single member a high level of such skills."

Climbers, cavers, mountain bikers and cyclists featured on the lists but walkers were the biggest category.

"We had some 25 walkers callouts, most with injuries, mainly lower leg of which 10 were broken or damaged ankles," said Phill. "We also pulled out one unfortunate chap who was stuck in a bog, found a group of missing students and an overdue missing young family.’’

The team also had three callouts to search for vulnerable people missing from their local communities. This type of incident has seen a fall in recent years as, at one time, volunteers were dealing with as many as 14 a year.

Last month, UWFRA's swift water specialist team was asked to support other rescue services after floods hit Carlisle and, like other Mountain Rescue teams, performed its task with distinction. However, before leaving, it had to ensure its own patch back home was well-covered.

Derek Hammond, also a controller in the team, said: "We found ourselves chest deep in water and in complete darkness and the only sound was the many house alarms beeping away.

"We were able to rescue some householders, four generations in one case from a nine-month-old child to its 81-year-old great grandmother, a very pregnant woman, two-year-old twins and the family’s two dogs. Another successful family rescue also included returning to the flooded ground floor to search for some essential personal belongings and in particular urgent prescription medicines."

Over Christmas, the team was put on standby to return to Carlisle - but, for the third year running, there were no actual callouts on Christmas Day, much to the relief of the volunteers' families.

However, as the rain continued, the standby changed to West Yorkshire and, later to York, where members did an 18-hour shift, mainly through the night. They rescued 68 people, three dogs, two rabbits and even a parrot.

Derek added: "The residents were clearly so distressed to be right in the centre of these dreadful conditions, yet they were offering us drinks and mince pies right through the night. One chap offered us champagne and port. It was such a humbling experience for us to be there to help these amazing communities.’’

Like other mountain and cave rescue teams, UWFRA receives no funding from central Government. It is run entirely by volunteers and has no paid members of staff. To donate to the team or for further information, visit uwfra.org.uk

* Craven's other volunteer rescue group, the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation, had 82 incidents in 2015 - but it was not a record year. In 2009, It had 88 callouts, involving 2,676 manhours.