Rescue volunteers have been honoured after saving the life of an elderly man lost on the moors in the snow.
The Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team, based in Hepworth , have been given an award by police for their role in the gruelling six-hour night-time rescue mission.
The 77-year-old man called 999 after losing his way on Langsett Moor, between Holmfirth and Penistone, on Tuesday, November 8 at 7pm.
Working in the dark and cold volunteers took six hours to find the man – who was by that point in a hypothermic state – and have been praised for their determination which “ultimately saved his life.”
The team received a Chief Officer Commendation from South Yorkshire Police. The force described their efforts as “truly invaluable.”
Supt Paul McCurry said: “After a six hour search and rescue mission the man was located, thankfully before he could come to any real harm, although his health was deteriorating rapidly and he was in a hypothermic state.
“Due to treacherous weather conditions, the helicopter could not land to airlift the man to hospital and so the Mountain Rescue Team carried him over one-and-a-half miles over rough and slippery terrain in the pitch-black to an awaiting 4x4.
“Without the team and their efforts in this challenging rescue mission, it’s unlikely that the man would have survived the night.”