WINTRY weather conditions have led to Bolton Mountain Rescue being called out a record number of times.

So far this year the team has been called to the same amount of incidents they responded to in the whole of 1996.

Gary Rhodes, team leader, said this had "shattered" their previous records.

The most they have ever been called out to in one year was 102 incidents in 2003.

He said: "Unbelievably to date, the team has been involved in 40 separate incidents. Normally at this time of year we have had a total of about 20 calls."

He added: "I think various factors are contributing to it, but it probably does have something to do with the weather, particularly on Monday when it snowed.

"That has ramifications on the ambulance service and we have to go out and help with general winter weather calls. Its been very busy for us."

So far this year, the team has gone out to help injured hill walkers and provided its usual New Year's Day cover, while embarking on a wide range of both lowland and upland searches.

Mr Rhodes said: "Such an intensive workload has met with the full support of the team membership who have also, in the same period, fully supported our weekly and weekend training commitments, lectures, visits to our base, liaison meetings and supermarket collections.

"At periods like this, every member begins to wonder just how full-time it can get in a voluntary group. Still, if it wasn't for the team, we would only be pestering our partners or getting on with the decorating and housekeeping!"

l Police in Bolton have warned the public not to leave their cars unattended when they warm them up in the cold mornings.

A police spokesman said that they were aware of a couple of incidents over that last few day of thieves stealing cars that had been left with the keys in them.