John Dunning presents Michael Sayer with his medal

Members of a Cumbrian mountain rescue team received medals for their volunteer work from the organisation’s president.

John Dunning presented 14 members of the Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal at a ceremony at their base.

The medal is awarded to emergency services volunteers, including those involved in search and rescue and to others involved in public service, such as members of the armed forces and prison officers.

To be eligible mountain rescue team volunteers had to have completed five full calendar years in a mountain rescue team in February 2012.

Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team with their Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals. Back, from left: Michael Sayer, Adrian Cottrell, Gordon Kay, Tanya Mellor, David Ellis, Sandra Gillespie, Richard Tolley, Michael Saint. Front, Tony Dewes, Kath Dyer, Arthur Littlefair, Frank Gillespie

Members of Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team who received the award were: Arthur Littlefair, Michael Saint, Michael Sayer, Richard Tolley, John Andrew, John Davis, Gordon Kay, Kath Dyer, Tanya Mellor, Adrian Cottrell, David Ellis, Frank Gillespie, Sandra Gillespie and Tony Dewes.

Team leader Arthur Littlefair said: “I am very pleased that mountain rescue volunteers, who have dedicated their time and energy over many years, should be recognised in this way.

“Our team members are entirely unpaid and put in many hours of service, not just on callouts but also on those often forgotten activities of fundraising, administration and equipment maintenance.”