MOUNTAIN and cave rescue teams in Craven are struggling to pay for basic equipment because of a funding shortage.

The rescue services, made up of highly skilled volunteers, are struggling to compete for donations which they need to operate.

Members, who contribute hours of free time each week and regularly dip into their own pockets to replace equipment, fear that falling donations could put lives in danger if the situation is left unchecked.

The duty controller of the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO), Steve Finch, called for Government intervention because it is struggling to raise cash in a competitive fundraising environment.

Mr Finch, a member for 25 years, said: "What I fear is a slow degradation. I would like to see a situation where we get one amount from the Government a year, which would give us a base level of funding. And the rest would be made up from voluntary contributions."

Traditionally funds for new equipment have been made available from North Yorkshire Police, but that cash is running dry. The 50-strong volunteer charity recently had to splash out more than £20,000 for a vital new radio system.

Mr Finch added: "It's a difficult situation but if Government can't contribute, I would like a safety net provided. We don't want to wait until something goes wrong. It's getting harder and harder with more charities competing for money."

He was concerned that no cash was available for new equipment - a new fully kitted-out Land Rover would cost £30,000.

Mr Finch, a trustee of the charity, added: "I have got a duty to do something about it otherwise we will be potentially negligent."

Mr Finch added that Government funds were being made available to the voluntary sector.

"The problem is that we are a bit of an oddity because we are attached to the emergency services," he said.

The CRO provides cave and mountain rescue in areas including the Three Peaks of Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Around three-quarters of the call-outs involve helping ordinary members of the public, including walkers in distress.

Mr Finch added that volunteers had contributed tens of thousands of pounds for equipment, hours of free service including regular training and rarely claimed expenses.

"We are all happy to do it, if somebody suggested getting paid for it I would walk away from it," he added.

Proceeds from the annual Broughton Game Show go to the CRO and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA). Both charities would struggle to operate without the cash raised.

Harry Long, a duty controller for Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, said the association had to find in excess of £15,000 annually just to pay its running costs.

The 100-strong volunteer charity was recently faced with a £19,000 bill for new radios after the Home Office stated that its radio frequencies must be changed.

North Yorkshire Police was unable to provide funding but permanently loaned some of its radios.

However, Mr Long believes that changes in technology could help alleviate the funding shortfall.

He said: "Changes in technology are going to work in our favour, I think in the near future most mobile phones will have a GPS built in, so we would know exactly where a person is."