Tributes have been paid to a mountain rescue team stalwart who has died.
The funeral of Pete Baines, who joined Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team in February 1980, was held yesterday in Nether Wasdale.
He died at home earlier this month, peacefully after a long illness.
During his 42 years as a volunteer with the team, he had attended over 1,000 callouts and held several roles during his time there, including quartermaster, buildings officer, committee member, trustee, and latterly duty team leader.
He was also a skilled and experienced casualty carer, providing first aid on the fell.
The team said: “He regularly took on additional tasks to make things run smoothly behind the scenes. Aside from that he was blessed with a great sense of humour, and with speed on the hill, he often arrived well in advance of the rest of us.
“It is difficult to establish exactly but we can be confident that Pete has attended well over 1,000 callouts and so we can say he has directly helped several thousand people in their time of need.
“The team’s leadership would like to formally recognise their huge thanks and appreciation to both Pete and Janice, his wife, for their support to the team over such a long period.
“We were also very thankful to be able to give Pete a formal team send off with many team members, past and present, attending in their red team jackets. He will be sadly missed, both on and off the fell.”
Mr Baines was laid to rest in a team jacket, which were his wishes.
The team added: “So, for the last time: ‘Wasdale Pete, Wasdale Pete, this is Wasdale Base. We thank you for your amazing service. Listening, out’.”
