As our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was preparing to depart his home address
for the Foundation Course weekend (See article above) and a lot of team
members were in transit along with our vehicles to the course venue, what
should happen, but the pagers went off, with a “Contact Lancashire Police
Control” message!

So at 17.52hrs our Team Leader was liaising with Lancashire Constabulary
Control Room regarding an urgent request for the whole Bolton MRT to go to
Turton and Entwistle Reservoir to join a search for a missing 57 year old
man, in circumstances giving Police concern for his well being.

On Garry’s mind was a possible suspension of the Friday evening part of the
Foundation Course or to pass the call on to Rossendale and Pendle Team,
except for the fact they were also on the same course with a lot of their
resources, so with Bowland Pennine MRT next on the list to consider, Garry
carried on collecting details from the Police regards the missing person.

As Garry was collecting such details from the Police, in an example of the
odd mis-communication that happens to all of us, our Deputy Team Leader
Geoff Seddon who was also in touch with the same Control Room, was receiving
the good news that the man had been found by the Police, whilst Garry was
being told the man was still missing!

Very shortly by 18.00hrs all was sorted and we were stood down very quickly,
and with a sigh of relieve Garry continued on to the weekend Foundation
Course as did all the other Bolton MRT members engaged in the same weekend
course.

This account is reported here for information only and does not appear in
our Incident Listings.