​Mountain rescue teams get vital funding lifeline

A banking scandal has benefited Scottish Mountain Rescue – to the tune of £60,000.

Fines levied on banks involved in the Libor lending rate-fixing scandal are being passed to charities and worthy causes.

The cash comes at a vital time for the organisation as fundraising has become more challenging.

Scottish Mountain Rescue is the umbrella group for the country’s 27 rescue teams.

Cash comes from Police Scotland which in turn secured the money from the UK government.

Last year the Treasury announced that the UK government was allocating almost £10 million to help support emergency services personnel, sourced from the Libor fines.

It was agreed that a proportion would be made available from Scotland's share of these funds to the Scottish Police Authority.

Chairman Simon Steer said: "Our voluntary mountain rescue teams provide a world-class service, free at the point of delivery, that is available any day, at any time and in any weather.

"Our teams are, however, increasingly stretched as the number of incidents we respond to has increased, whilst fund raising becomes ever more challenging.

"Police Scotland's support is therefore much appreciated as we work through another busy year of rescues."