THE tragic death of a teacher in a fell walking accident has inspired students at a South Lakeland school to throw their weight behind a campaign to get more Government help for mountain rescuers.

Paul Percy, a popular member of staff at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, died in January after losing his footing while walking in the Langdale Pikes with a colleague.

The 44-year-old’s body was found by members of Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team and their involvement prompted pupils at QES to look more closely at the rescue work the volunteers do.

They began to take a particular interest in stories in The Westmorland Gazette about the rescue service’s plea to the Government for financial relief.

Now the whole school has become involved in the campaign to persuade ministers to treat mountain rescue teams more fairly. Students wrote to Treasury minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry calling for a change in policy so MRTs can claim back hundreds of thousands of pounds in VAT and duties.

Mhairi Lockett and Charlie Lawson, writing on behalf of students in Year 8E, told the minister: “Earlier this year a much-loved teacher died when he was up on the mountains.

“The mountain rescue service was called and came quickly but there was nothing they could do other than support those involved in a professional way.

“His death affected so many people and when we found out rescuers were disadvantaged we felt it was appropriate to take action.”

Larisa Lewis and Lewis Simmons, representing Year 7K, wrote: “Fairer funding is the way forward otherwise this could be the end of mountain rescue. Making them pay such taxes is just unacceptable; they are here to help so why not help them?”

Letters in support of the students’ campaign have been sent to Mrs McCarthy-Fry by QES head teacher Chris Clarke and chairman of governors Ty Power.

Mr Clarke told the minister by addressing anomalies in the system of funding pupils had demonstrated ‘qualities of citizenship’.

Stewart Hulse, a member of the finance committee of Mountain Rescue England and Wales, said: “My committee colleagues join with me in praising these students for their excellent campaign.

“It gives us all added impetus to pursue our cause for fairer funding.”