The team's unpaid volunteers have to buy their equipment. Photo: Calder Valley MRT

A rescue team is appealing for the public’s help after gear worth £600 was stolen from one of its volunteer members.

Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team said the rucksack containing specialist equipment was taken from the member’s car last Friday.

The car was parked outside his home in Bradford.

The stolen gear and the red and black Macpac rucksack containing it is vital for the rescuer’s lifesaving role with the team.

Team leader Les Wilson said: “Some of the contents are standard things you would expect to find in a rucksack such as a climbing harness and headtorch.

“However, other items that were in the rucksack clearly identify the owner as a member of a mountain rescue team. These include a white Petzl helmet that is labelled with mountain rescue livery and a small but very powerful hand torch used for searching.

“Other items in the rucksack included a pair of grey overtrousers, Berghaus gloves, Keela Outdoors hat, karabiners, slings and a two-person bivvy shelter.

“Team members volunteer their spare time and pay out of their own pockets to be equipped ready to help others in distress in wild and remote places so it’s very sad when something like this happens.

“Obviously it’s at times like this that other team members will rally around to try share their older gear to help replenish the stolen equipment.”

Anyone with information about the incident or who knows where the stolen mountain rescue equipment is asked to contact CVSRT or West Yorkshire Police.

Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team covers the hills and moorlands of the South Pennines between the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales national parks.