A group of determined volunteers are hoping for public backing to offer an even bigger helping hand.

West Yorkshire 4 x 4 Volunteers provide a vital service in bad weather across the whole of Yorkshire.

And one of their key tasks is to ferry vital workers such as doctors and nurses to hospitals when the weather turns bad.

They were called out many times last winter especially in the Holme Valley. They were also called into action many times during the Calderdale floods of December and January.

Now they are bidding for a £50,000 Lottery windfall in the ITV-backed The People's Project.

The 4 x 4 scheme is one of five local projects bidding for the cash and will feature on ITV's Calendar news on Wednesday, March 2, trying to persuade people to vote for them.

4 x 4 volunteers (L-R) Steve Humphreys, Blayne Riley and Jason Cartwright

Netherton man Roy Farmer is one of the volunteers of the Chain Bar-based project and the man behind the lottery bid.

He said: "The group will use the funding to fund a mobile command centre, and to expand a project providing GPS tracking to vehicles called out in the local community during severe weather, allowing control room staff to respond to any issues quickly.

"This could include volunteers or care workers who are visiting patients at home, or nurses or doctors going to their place of work.

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"The grant would be used to purchase new equipment and a mobile trailer unit, making it easier to deal with all rescue requests and support more people in need of its services."

West Yorkshire 4x4 Volunteers were formed in 2011 by an experienced group of 4x4 owners. They recognised that in adverse weather conditions such as floods, snow and ice, the local emergency and care services were struggling to get to certain areas where they would be needed.

West Yorkshire 4 x 4 Volunteers out in the worst of winter

This then has an impact on the safety and well-being of the community.

Mr Farmer said: "We are here to assist organisations such as police, ambulance, councils and charities.

"Obviously when there is bad weather it is difficult for people such as nurses to get to work and we are there to help.

"The new project will enable us to offer an even better service to many more people".