This evening at 19:53 our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was contacted directly by the Southern Communications Room of Lancashire Constabulary, enquiring whether the team was on exercise using flares around the Winter Hill area as they were investigating reports of distress flares being seen in the area.

Garry replied that we were not on exercise, nor on operations, but offered advice on the situation.

Lancashire Constabulary had already despatched Police patrols to the Winter Hill area and also mobilised the Lancashire Constabulary Air Support Unit Helicopter ‘Oscar November 99’ (Part of the North West Air Operations Group – Police) to undertake a search of the Rivington Pike to Winter Hill moorland areas.

Their search which continued beyond dusk proved negative and the call was put down to a false alarm with good intentions.

Our Team Leader, who was in contact with the Police Control Room, had by this stage travelled to the Winter Hill area, in case direct consultation was required with the investigating Police patrols, whilst team members Mike Marsh and Chris Greenhalgh were immediately on hand, respectively, at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, and at a nearby address, in case the Police required any team vehicles to compliment their cursory search.

This search has not been recorded within our Incident Listings and is reported here for information purposes only.