Susan Aglionby hands the cheque to Richard Warren, with Davis Andrews, centre, grants officer of the CCF, watched by representatives of the teams present

Lake District mountain teams will be able to improve their training for flood and water rescues thanks to a grant from a charity foundation.

The Cumbria Community Foundation handed a £35,000 cheque to Richard Warren, chair of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, the umbrella organisation for the area’s rescue teams.

Mr Warren said: “The £35,500 will be spent on training team members within the 12 teams and, in particular, training trainers so that the teams can carry out refresher training and re-certification every three years.

“Further fundraising will be undertaken to purchase the additional water rescue equipment needed to equip teams for the future.”

The cash was handed over to Mr Warren by Susan Aglionby, chair of the grants committee and one of the Cumbria Community Foundation trustees, at Penrith Mountain Rescue Team’s base.

The need to increase the rescuers’ water-rescue resources became apparent after last November’s Cumbria floods, the worst in the county’s history, when mountain rescue teams spent days rescuing residents and visitors and supporting the main emergency services.

Volunteer teams’ gear worth £42,000 was destroyed or damaged during the floods, the cost of which has been reimbursed by Cumbria Police Authority and Allerdale Borough Council.

Representatives from Patterdale, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen and Wasdale Mountain Rescue Teams were present at the cheque handover.