Steve Westwood celebrates finishing the Spine Mountain Rescue Challenge

A rescue team’s funds were boosted by more than £1,000 by the efforts of four of its members who tackled a gruelling Pennine challenge.

Only one of the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team quartet managed to cover the full 108-mile course of The Spine Mountain Rescue Challenge over the weekend after injury hit three of them.

But the West Yorkshire team’s water-rescue capabilities will benefit from the £1,655 so far raised from the challenge.

Organisers of The Montane Spine Challenger, shorter cousin to the full Spine Race which involves tackling the full Pennine Way route, set up the special Mountain Rescue Challenge for the first time this year.

Four Calder Valley team members tackled the event, along with colleagues from rescue teams across the UK.

A Calder Valley SRT spokesperson said: “There was disappointment for three of the runners, Alistair Morris, Howard Barton and Tim Ingram, who unfortunately had to retire due to injury at the 50 miles mark, but jubilation for Steve Westwood who managed to complete the 108 miles to the finish line in Hawes in a time of 56hrs 10mins 22secs.

“CVSRT would like to thank everyone who has supported our four runners this weekend at home or meeting them along the way at checkpoints and road crossing to top up their water bottles, feed them jelly babies or give them moral support.

“It was an incredible challenge with brutal weather, unforgiving conditions and sleep deprivation to contend with.”

The team said, at the time of going to press, £1,375 had been raised from the event which, with Gift Aid, is increased to £1,655. “All funds raised will go directly to providing water rescue kit and training for CVSRT members to assist the community in the event of future flooding and swiftwater rescue,” the spokesperson said.

Donations can be made on the team’s fundraising page up to the end of January.