Stretcher relay to raise cash for rescue vehicle

Volunteers are setting off on a 100-mile (160km) stretcher-carrying challenge in support of Surrey Search and Rescue.

Eight teams will carry a stretcher with a large teddy bear attached over eight legs, starting in Hindhead on Friday and finishing in Reigate on Sunday.

The charity said money raised from donations would help to fund a new incident command vehicle as its current vehicle was "poorly".

PJ Farr from Surrey Search and Rescue said the vehicle had "been in the team for about 17 years" since it was donated by the fire service and had "done very well for us" but was now "beyond repair".

Teams of between six and eight from the charity, running about 13 miles (20km) each, will pass through Godalming, Leatherhead, Guildford and Ashtead as they complete the relay.

"A lot of people don't realise that around 2,100 people a year go missing in Surrey, so when police determine that the missing person is high risk our trained volunteers can be deployed," Farr said.

He told BBC Radio Surrey the challenge was "a way of raising our profile and letting the public see what we do".

"The team will also be doing a number of challenges along the way as well so members of the public can really get involved and see what it is we're up to," he added.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.