At circa 02.00hrs in the very early hours of this Christmas Day morning, our team Search Dog Handler Steve Nelson (A member of SARDA Wales) and his specialist Trailing Search Dog Boris, were called out by SARDA (Wales) to assist in a search for a missing 43 year old male in the general area of Cilcain, Mold, North East Wales.

North East Wales Search and Rescue Team (NEWSAR) had been called out earlier at circa 01.00hrs and by daybreak this morning, alongside other SARDA (Wales) assets and North Wales Police, a small number of Cheshire Search and Rescue Team members (From ALSAR) joined in the search operation, with the call to Cheshire SART being made at 08.30hrs.

By 10.20hrs Steve Nelson with Boris was on his way back to his Bury home and a family Christmas, whilst the search continued.

We understand that a RAF MRT on Christmas deployment in the Lake District also attended alongside three members of Ogwen Valley MRT.

At circa 11:00hrs this Christmas Day morning we understand NEWSART located the missing man and arranged for him to be safely transferred to hospital, with all search assets subsequently stood down and all members involved being able to journey home to enjoy their festive celebrations with their families.

We understand that this Christmas Day also saw Cornwall SRT deployed on Bodmin Moor alongside SARDA (England) assets on a search operation, Buxton MRT called out, and Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue alongside Berkshire SAR Dogs also deployed on a Christmas day search operation.