Two mountain and cave rescue organisations are losing thousands of pounds after their main fundraiser was forced to withdraw support.

The Cave Rescue Organisation and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Associa-tion are each facing a £7,000 shortfall.

The news follows the scrapping of the Broughton Game Show in June because of the torrential rain.

Between them the rescue organisations were involved in almost 60 call-outs to the Pennine fells in 2006, rescuing people stuck in potholes, injured and stranded on mountains and occasionally recovering bodies.

Both rely on volunteers to make up the rescue teams and need to raise funds to maintain and manage their headquarters and equipment.

Worse hit has been the Cave Rescue Organisation, based in Clapham, which had been planning to build an extension.

The CRO has members in Airedale and is appealing for long-term company sponsorship to help continue their work.

Steve Finch, duty controller, said: "We will have to concentrate on our core work and put the extension on the back burner. We will have to rely on our contingency fund."

The game show donation represented about almost half of their running costs.

Mr Finch said: "It would be nice if someone could come forward and help with some funds but we also need to be looking to the future. We need to go about raising money in a more professional way and perhaps there is a company which feels it can sponsor us."

Harry Long, of Silsden, a member of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, said: "We are concerned but have decided to ride the storm and rely on contingencies. We are not trying to initiate any alternative fundraiser."

He said the loss was equivalent to about one third of the annual running costs.

David Aynesworth, who oversees the event at Broughton Hall, near Skipton, said: "It was disappointing that we had to cancel but there was no alternative. We are now full steam ahead for 2008."