During our AGM and Election of Team Officers (2nd Part) this evening, at 20.12hrs our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was informed by GMP of a developing search operation in the Bolton area for a missing 88 year old woman, which might have led to the team’s involvement.

The woman had gone missing from her new residence, earlier this evening, and with mounting concern for her welfare, given the onset of darkness and cold evening temperatures, a GMP search operation including Officers and a Police helicopter commenced.

At 21.56 hrs, GMP requested our specialist Mountain Rescue Trailing Dog Handler Steve Nelson (A member of SARDA Wales) and his Trailing Search Dog Boris, along with some supporting team members.

Including Steve Nelson, and his usual navigator Elaine Gilliland, in total twelve team members mobilised to conduct some initial taskings.

For our newly elected Deputy Team Leader Chris Greenhalgh, who had barely been ‘in post’ for an hour and a half, it was his first incident as Deputy Team Leader.

A search control using our Incident Control Vehicle, was set up where the missing 88 year old woman had last been seen at circa 17.45hrs earlier today, with Garry our Team Leader, Chris our Deputy Team Leader and Steve Fletcher setting up the search administration.

Three Team Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulances with seven team members on board joined in with Police Officers in checking all nearby roads, Bolton Town Centre and the environs of the nearby Royal Bolton Hospital.

Steve, Elaine and Boris meanwhile commenced a ‘trail’, when at midnight came the good news that the woman had been located by a GMP patrol at her former address, and the search effort was therefore stood down.