Peak District mountain rescue teams awarded honorary degree

Mountain rescue teams working in the Peak District have been awarded an honorary degree.

The Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation (PDMRO), which consists of nine teams, has been recognised by Sheffield Hallam University.

They were handed the honour for their "outstanding and sustained contribution to public safety" over 58 years.

Last year, the teams responded to almost 500 requests for assistance across the region.

Matt Dooley, chairman for the PDMRO charity, said he was "honoured" to accept the award on behalf of the volunteers and teams.

"I thank Sheffield Hallam University for recognising the contribution we make in keeping people safe and also being there for them in their greatest time of need," he said.

The organisation added the award was also dedicated to the hundreds of volunteers that had served over the decades.

The teams within PDMRO are:

The PDMRO was founded in 1964 after three teenage scouts died during the annual Four Inns Walk, a tough 50-mile (80km) fell hike through the Peak District.

The charity provides a search and rescue service for the Peak District National Park and its surrounding areas 24 hours a day, throughout the year.

In recent times, the teams of more than 350 volunteers have also helped in police searches for missing or vulnerable people in semi-rural locations.

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