Mike Nixon, right, presents the award to Roy Henderson, with Jan Beedham. Picture: Becx Carter

A former member of a Lake District rescue team received a rare award to mark almost 30 years of voluntary service.

Retired Keswick Mountain Rescue Team stalwart Roy Henderson was presented with the Mountain Rescue England and Wales distinguished service award in a ceremony on a Lakeland island.

Mr Henderson, who served for a number of years as the deputy team leader, attended more than 1,400 rescues during his time with the team, one of the busiest in the area. The award was presented at an event hosted by the tenants of Derwent Island on Derwent Water, and attended by his close family and friends,

The award said ‘his contribution to mountain rescue has been indisputably exemplary’. Only 68 such awards have been given since its inception 58 years ago.

The citation detailed his efforts in the development of national and international training for Keswick MRT in a number of fields, particularly the rope rigging for rescue techniques, and the swiftwater rescue skills the team has called upon many times including the 2009 and 2015 floods.

The award was presented to by Mike Nixon who was leader of the team from 1981 to 1993. Mr Henderson thanked all those in attendance for their support over his time with the mountain rescue team and also his partner Jan Beedham for her ongoing source of support, without which he couldn’t have given all that he has to the team. Ms Beedham was also a member of the team for more than 11 years, and was a training officer for nearly three of those.

Keswick team member Paul Horder said: “Members bring different skills, attributes and experience with them, and it is this mix that makes the team what it is. In Roy’s case, what he brought was innovation in training and safer operating procedures.

“He made an indelible mark.”