THE inventor of the stretchers used in today’s mountain rescue missions has been honoured for 50 years’ service.

Peter Bell, of Underbarrow, ran operations with Sid Cross, who was the first person to establish a formal mountain rescue team in the Langdale Valley in the late 1950s. Mr Cross died in Kendal in March 1998.

Mr Bell was given a certificate by current Langdale Ambleside team leader Nick Owen at the Mountain Rescue England and Wales annual meeting.

“It’s been my life’s work,” said Mr Bell, who is president of the organisation. “I was a bit surprised to receive the certificate. As president I was giving an award out when the chairman said there was another award to be made.

“Nick Owen started speaking and I was wondering who’d be getting this award. He said that the person had been on rescues with Sid Cross, so I thought ‘It’s got to be someone I know’.

“Gradually as he got to the end, I realised there was only one person I know who it could be.”

Mr Owen said: “To stick around for 50 years is quite an achievement. Somebody who has been around for that long is a person definitely worth noting. His stretchers have made such a significant contribution to mountain rescue – we just couldn’t do the job without them.”

Mr Bell, an honorary fellow at the University of Central Lancashire, invented the Bell Mountain Rescue Stretcher in Kendal – now they are used by mountain rescue teams all over Britain and Ireland.

The stainless steel stretchers split in two for easy transport to an incident, they have an integral headguard, and are strong and durable.

Mr Bell has also had a large input in improving communications for teams.