SEVERN Area Rescue Association (SARA) volunteers were called out from their Beachley base three times in four days between March 15 and 18, to assist with missing person searches across the county.

Chair of SARA Beachley, Richard Dainty, said: “It was an exceptionally busy weekend. In the bad weather and each time after dark, we were called to support Glou­cestershire Police for three separate missing person searches, in Winchcombe, Stroud and Quedgeley.  

“Sadly all of the three searches resulted in a fatality: the SARA Teams found the body of the missing person during the night on the first two occasions. On the third, a member of the public found a body the following morning, in a location just outside of the area which SARA had been asked to search.  

“The teams endured icy winds and roads and searched through the falling snow. Some of the SARA team were part of a water search team, and searched a river and canal in the dark, having only completed their water rescue training in February.”  

Members of the Glou­cestershire Cave Rescue Group were also involved, following recent training by the SARA search managers.

“I was very impressed by the commitment of our volunteers,” Richard added. “They were prepared to turn out in challenging conditions. I’m grateful to them and to their families for supporting their commitment to providing a professional standard of operation.”

SARA has a new intake of training for land search starting next month. For more information email info@

sara-rescue.org.uk.

To support the work of the SARA volunteers, visit www.sara-rescue.org.uk/donate