Trio have a nose for rescue work

CLEVER dogs (l-r): Ty, Bryn and Bob with handlers Steve Ward (left) and Mick Nield

OLDHAM Mountain Rescue Team now has three search and rescue dogs.

The dog handlers and their animals passed a tough, three-day training course near Keswick in the Lake District with flying colours.

Ty, a four-year-old border collie, is the third dog to qualify with Steve Wood, an experience dog handler who has been an Oldham Mountain Rescue volunteer for 25 years.

Steve has an older border collie, Bryn, and Ty will take his place Bryn is retired.

The team’s Mick Nield was assessed alongside his border collie Bob. Mick and Bob underwent four two-and-a-half hour stints while Steve and Ty completed five two-hour operations.

Mick explained: “There were nine dogs, two from Oldham. Steve wasn’t under assessment because he has already qualified two dogs and has proved he works well with them.

“I qualified two years ago, so I underwent an upgrade. It’s a way of making sure I am working Bob as a competent handler.”

Search and rescue dogs are taught to react to human scent in the air, which makes them effective even at night or in poor visibility. They are vital to the job of a rescue team because they can cover large areas of ground very quickly.