THE North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team based in Okehampton has welcomed three fully trained members to its ranks.

Dave Simpson, Jenny Doe and Andy Collyer have been welcomed into the team by team leader David Stoneman.

The recruitment of the trio is the latest positive news for the team, which officially opened its new premises on November 4. The new centre on Hambeldown Road, which was eight years in the planning, gives the team a base close to both the moor and to the A30.

Becoming a full time member takes hours of training and is a massive commitment. Each trainee takes about a year to go through the programme before beoming full team members. The team is funded solely by donation and covers a large area of Dartmoor and the surrounding area from Launceston in the west and Exeter into the east.

For more details on the group visit www.ndsart.org.uk