ONE man and his dog have made the top grade for mountain rescuers.

Search dog handler Ken Sloan, 62, from Honley, and his border collie Abby have been awarded Search Dog Full Grade, the highest grade awarded by the Search And Rescue Dogs Association England.

The pair battled the harshest weather and terrain the Lake District could offer at the beginning of February to pick up the accreditation.

Ken, who has been on 600 rescues, has been a member of Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team at Hade Edge for nearly 40 years and a search dog handler for nearly 25 years.

Mountain rescuers are also used to search in urban areas for people believed missing or dead.

Mr Sloan has been on many high profile searches including at Lockerbie following the 1988 bombing and in Oldham following the murder of five-year-old Rosie McCann in 1996.

Abby is Ken’s third dog to achieve full grade.

Ken said: “I suppose it’s quite an achievement. Not many people manage to train two dogs.

“It’s one of the reasons I do mountain rescue. Speed saves lives and you’re no better equipped than with a dog.

“I’m doing a job that’s worthwhile and with the cutbacks I can only see the police having to use us more and more.

“You get a sense of pride and satisfaction doing the job otherwise you wouldn’t do it.

“It keeps you out of the house and allows you to help someone else.”