This cold, and damp evening the team provided standby rescue cover for the Darwen Dashers Running Club fifth annual unique night-time fell race, the affectionately named “Mr. Sparkle’s Dark ’Un”.

This event is organised by Darwen Dashers Running Club member, and great friend of the Bolton MRT, Simon Fox, with funds arising from this yearly race for the Running Club including a very kind donation towards the work of Bolton MRT.

Starting at 19:30hrs at The Royal Arms in Tockholes, a total of 68 appropriately equipped runners, and two ‘sweepers’  took part, with the 5 mile (8.1 km) course taking in elements of the Tockholes Plantations and Darwen Moor, covering 702 feet (214 metres) of ascent.

With the multiple headlights of the fell runners shining over the moor, team members were on hand at numerous points around the course, alongside race marshals at each checkpoint, with happily no call for our services.

Weather conditions this year were as usual quite challenging, with windy conditions and fine rain falling, plus inevitably very wet ground conditions underfoot.

With everyone safely off the moor, all runners then retired to The Royal Arms at Tockholes for chip butties, which were very well received.

We deployed to this event with all four of our Land Rover Defender Mountain Rescue Ambulances and our Incident Control Vehicle, with eleven team operational members present, under the control and direction of our Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh, with team member Paul Brain in his usual role as event start and finish liaison (webmaster – a task requiring him to stay in the confines of the warm and hospitable Royal Arms Public House!)