A MEMBER of Langdale and Ambleside's Mountain Rescue Team who has carried out more than 4,000 missions in nearly half-a-century of service has received an MBE medal.

Despite recent poor health, John Graham recently travelled to London to receive his medal from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace, watched by his wife Joan and proud family.

Born and bred in Teeside, the couple moved to the Lakes in the 1960s, where John built their redwood timber-framed Ambleside home himself, brick by brick, helped by slater Tommy Crossland on the roof.

As a keen walker and climber, he was a founder member of Ambleside’s Fell Rescue Team in 1968 which amalgamated in 1970 with Langdale Mountain Rescue Team to become Langdale Ambleside MRT.

He was also an assessor for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and a member of Ambleside St Johns, for which he was presented with the coveted St John Ambulance Service Medal.

When he was made redundant from his job as Engineering Supervisor at Glaxo in Kendal, he decided to retire at 50 to spend more time on the fells.

As a dedicated member of the team, he was still an active rescuer and driving the ‘blues and twos’ Land Rover Ambulance until just a few years ago, but stepped aside to make room for younger team members.

“There’s just no comparison now with rescue 50 years ago, when we ran up the hill with a one-piece stretcher and morphine in a syringe with a cork on the end of it”, he said. “Nowadays our GPS equipment is so good that we can follow the exact location from the base of all team members during a rescue - which also helps with knowing when to put the pies and beans on ready for when they get back."