Our Team Leader Garry Rhodes was contacted directly by GMP at 11.05hrs this morning regarding a developing search for a missing 23 year old male, possibly within the general area of Winter Hill.

The circumstances of his disappearance were of concern to the Police, and in liaison with our Team Leader and Deputy Leader Geoff Seddon, GMP requested we concentrate our initial search efforts within specific areas along Scout Road on the edge of Smithills Moor.

At this same time we were also committed to providing Standby Safety Cover for the Easter Saturday Annual Rivington Pike Fell Race.

It was therefore decided to split the team, with 10 members under the direction of our President, and ex Team Leader, Bob Hutchinson to provide the Fell Race cover for the 13.00hrs start of the Junior Races, whilst 14 other Team members were immediately despatched to the search effort, alongside continuing GMP searches of the surrounding roads.

Due to the high winds, the GMP Air Support Unit helicopter was not available to assist the ground search parties, and with continuing icy cold winds forecast and wintry showers it look set to be a long search operation.

Fortunately whilst travelling to one of the specific search areas, a GMP General Purpose Dog Handler driving along Scout Road located the missing man safe and well, and the search was therefore stood down at 12.55hrs, with those members declared to the search going straight on to join their colleagues on the Fell Race cover.