A MOUNTAIN rescue team has been awarded a grant from the Department of Transport for equipment that will help in operations involving floods or dangerous water.

Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team (MRT), based in Great Ayton, has received £3,500 from the government to buy a trailer for its flood and water rescue equipment.

The rescue team primarily covers the North York Moors, but like many of the country’s rescue organisations has members trained and equipped to search for missing people in rivers and help members of the public affected by floods.

During the York floods in December 2015, members were involved in helping get more than 100 members of the public to safety from flooded properties.

The trailer will assist in deploying the group’s specialised inflatable rafts and equipment more effectively during such incidents.

Twelve of the 45 members of the team are trained as Swift Water and Flood Rescue Technicians and are registered with DEFRA to assist with any water related incident in the country. To equip and train each one costs around £1,500.

It is the second grant Cleveland MRT has received from the Department of Transport in the past 18 months for water rescue equipment.