WOODHEAD Mountain Rescue Team has welcomed a new member on board.
And at just 10 weeks old, Dodge the puppy is the youngest member of the team.
The rescue unit is based at Hade Edge and covers the Peak District National Park.
Border collie Dodge will be the third dog on the Woodhead team and one of only 32 search and rescue dogs in England.
The other two Woodhead MRT dogs are fully trained and belong to handlers Steve Ward, of Shelley, and Ken Sloane, of Honley.
These two men will be guiding Dodge and his owner Wayne Thackray through the training process.
Wayne, 38, of Crosland Hill, has been a member of the Woodhead MRT for four years.
He decided two years ago that he wanted to become a search and rescue dog handler.
But it took him a long time to find just the right dog.
He said: "Dodge comes from a family of working hill dogs in Glencoe in Scotland.
"Most mountain rescue dogs are border collies because they are very intelligent, hardy and suited to the work. Dogs can do the work of 20 searchers."
Dodge cannot be trained as a search and rescue dog until he is seven months old.
For now, Wayne is training him in basic obedience at home.
He said: "It is all one big game really for him, but it will result in him saving lives."
Training Dodge will take about two years.
He will have to be tested for obedience, ability to avoid distractions and on whether he can alert rescuers to a body or injured person.
The tests are conducted by the Search and Rescue Dog Association of England.
If he passes, Dodge will be given an `initial' grade.
He and Wayne then have two years to reach full grade.
Although Dodge will be a working dog, he is Wayne's family pet and he is responsible for looking after him and paying costs such as vet's bills.
This is because mountain rescue teams are voluntary organisations and receive no Government funding.
Like most mountain rescue team members, Wayne has a full-time job.
He runs his own company, training people in health and safety.
Dad-of-two Wayne used to train dogs for security work and has also been a Cadet instructor and a member of the Royal Engineers in the Territorial Army in the past.
He said: "I wanted to join the MRT out of community spirit, to give something back.
"I have always been a mountaineer and walker and wanted to fill the gap I had after leaving the cadets. It is an interesting and varied way of life."
It has also changed life for Wayne's wife Tanya.
He said: "My wife says she is a mountain rescue widow! But if it was not for our families' support, we would not be able to do this.
" Sometimes I get calls at 5am and she gets up, makes me a flask of tea and sandwiches and then waits to see if I come back safe.
"It does affect your life. But we got 30 callouts last year and on 26, people's lives were saved. You can't put a cost on that."
* Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team is one of two in the Huddersfield area. The other is the Meltham-based Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team.
* It was set up as part of the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation, which was created in 1964 after three Rover Scouts died taking part in the Four Inns Walk near Holmbridge.
* In 1970, specialist training was brought in for members of mountain rescue teams.
* Anyone aged 17 to 70 can join a mountain rescue team.
* Volunteers need to train two nights and one full day a month in skills such as first aid, rope rescues, radio procedures and search techniques.
* Volunteers are available 365 days a year for callouts via a personnel pager system.
* To train as a search dog handler like Wayne you must have served as a fully-trained member of a mountain rescue team for 12 months.
* Mountain rescue teams are co-ordinated by the Mountain Rescue Council of England and Wales. This group provides insurance for mountain rescue team members and provides operational guidelines.
