A LONG standing member of the Grassington based Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) has been named its new president.

Peter Huff has spent most of his life helping those in need above and below the Yorkshire Dales. He first became involved when his father, Len Huff, helped found the team 70 years ago in 1948, officially joining the ranks as a junior member when he was 15 years old.

Peter, 76, took over as president at the recent annual general meeting from Burnsall farmer, Jeremy Daggett, who stood down after 33 years in the post.

During Peter’s 60 years with the team he has been involved in many of its more than 1,500 call-outs witnessing first hand both the tragedies and successes in rescue from the loss of six young cavers in Mossdale cavern in 1967, the terrorist attack on flight Pam Am 103 above Lockerbie in 1988, to the successful precursor of the rescue in Thailand when, in 1992, two stranded cavers were dived out from a flooded Sleets Gill cave in Littondale.

For 35 years Peter was the communications officer for the team responsible for the maintenance and development of the team’s communication systems both below and above ground.

He has helped the team’s underground communication develop from running out hundreds of meters of cable back to the surface to the latest Cavelink system that is capable of passing messages through solid rock and their surface communications develop from “portable” radios the size of rucksacks to the modern GPS tracked handheld sets.

All these developments have required many many hours of work in the background to ensure that the team have reliable communications.

In recent years Peter has handed over the communications mantle to the next generation and for the last six has been UWFRA's chairman.

A spokesperson said: "Peter has seen our base develop from an old parcel van, the former signal box when Grassington Station closed down, to the first purpose built rescue base in the country in 1978, even that has had four extensions in his time.

"One of his first duties as chairman was to preside over the last major extension and full refurbishment of “The Hut” to retain it as the team headquarters and rescue base for years to come.

"In 2020, at the age of 75, Peter stood down from rescue operations, he has undoubtedly helped save many lives and it is truly testament to his late father’s vision that Peter should have given so much of his life in the rescue of people and animals in difficulties above and below the fells.

"His contribution in helping save lives is immeasurable and he aims to continue to support the Team in his new role."