THE Cleveland Search and Rescue team has endured its busiest year on record.

Last year, the volunteers dealt with a total of 44 incidents ranging from searching for Alzheimers suffers and rescuing injured walkers and mountain bikers, to rescuing a snow-trapped hiker and helping the search for missing York woman Claudia Lawrence.

However, one of the most tricky situations the volunteers found themselves involved in was rescuing a man who had fallen into a ravine in Saltburn.

The crew were forced to clambered down the ravine to get the injured man out of the stream and onto a stretcher before he was winched to safety.

And to hone their skills the team meets every Wednesday evening and have a weekend training session at least five times a year.

Barry Warrington a spokesman for the Team said: "Clearly 2009 has been a very busy year during which we have dealt with a very broad range of incidents.

"We train as often as possible to ensure that no matter what the nature of the incident we are able to deal with it as effectively and professionally as possible.

"The rescue of a man who had fallen into a ravine at Saltburn proved to be a demanding rescue resulting in the involvement of the Ambulance Service, and the RAF Sea King Helicopter.

"The Team was involved with the task of getting the man out of the stream and onto a stretcher and then assisting with the winch up through the trees to the RAF Sea King Helicopter."

As well as constantly training, the team is busy trying to raise £150,000 to refurbish its base near Great Ayton.

Team leader Rob Johnson said: "The refurbishment of our base and training facilities is a key factor in investing in the future of the Team.

"This will enable us to continually improve and up-date our skills so that we can continue to serve the local, and not so local, community and provide the same professional approach to search and rescue over the next 44 years as we have over the last 44 years."

Anyone wanting to support the team should visit csrt.co.uk