Early this morning our colleagues at Cheshire SRT were called out by Cheshire Constabulary, in regards to a 39 year old missing man.

The man had previously been reported missing to Police, with their enquiries leading to a requirement to search areas within the extensive Tatton Park estate, near Knutsford.

At circa 08.43hrs Cheshire SART called out our specialist Trailing Search Dog, with a direct request to our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE at 09.44hrs to call out additional Bolton MRT resources, including our DVSD / Water Search Dog.

Following liaison with Team Leader Simon Lane of Cheshire SART, our Team Leader called out the team at 10.07hrs.

Our Trailing Search Dog Handler Steve Nelson, his navigator Elaine Gilliland and of course Boris, arrived at the search RVP at 10.34hrs, deploying shortly thereafter to join Cheshire SART members already engaged on the search.

By 11.30hrs additional Bolton MRT members departed our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ, but with festive traffic en route, it was 13.45hrs before they arrived at the search RVP.

Our DVSD Search Dog Handler Dave Marsh with DVSD Search Dog Sasha, aided by colleague team member Geoff Seddon, deployed in our SAR Boat to search the bankside of Tatton Mere, whilst two other Bolton MRT members – Steve James and Heath Doran, joined up with a Cheshire SART search party.

Thankfully the rain of the morning had given way to clearer skies, as multiple search resources cleared various search areas within Tatton Park.

By 17.30hrs all our deployed members had left the RVP for the return hone, with the SAR / MRT search standing down at circa 20.30hrs, with Police enquiries continuing to establish the whereabouts of the missing man.

The following resources were understood to have been involved in todays search;

• Cheshire Search and Rescue Team; 20x operational team members and supporting team vehicles.
• Bolton Mountain Rescue Team; 7x team members deployed to the search, with our ‘Bolton Mobile 3’ Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulance and our 3.4 metre semi rigid inflatable SAR Boat (a further four team members were available for later deployment within the afternoon, but were not required to attend)
• Kinder Mountain Rescue Team; 14x operational team members, and two Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances.
• North West Police Underwater Search and Marine Unit.
• Cheshire Constabulary; various assets.
• SARDA Wales; Mountain Rescue Trailing Search Dog Boris, Handler Steve Nelson, navigator Elaine Gilliland, both of Bolton MRT, included within figures above.
• SARDA Ireland North; DVSD / Water Search Dog Sasha, Handler Dave Marsh, of Bolton MRT, included within figures above.
• SARDA England; 2x Mountain Rescue Air Scenting Search Dogs, Handlers from Edale MRT and Calder Valley SRT.

Due to the timing of this call – Christmas week and during work time, and with seven members already deployed, and more on standby if required for the Cheshire search, the Bolton MRT would like to thank Team Leader Peter Goble of RPMRT for readily making his team available to assist BMRT should any call be received in our home operational area.

UPDATE …… On Tuesday morning, 22nd December 2015, Cheshire Constabulary informed Cheshire SART that the missing man had been located, safe and well at his home address.

Please also visit the website and Facebook pages of Cheshire Search and Rescue Team and Kinder Mountain Rescue Team, for their accounts of this search operation.