Severn Area Rescue Association’s (SARA) Beachley station has unveiled a new addition to its fleet.

A crew from the station picked up the Ford Transit van from Buxton in Derbyshire last month after they bought it from the town’s mountain rescue team.

It has been converted into an Incident Support (ISU) and the only work to be completed is for it to be rebranded to include SARA’s name.

The van is fitted with mains, battery power, tables, white boards and a hot water boiler. It also has a 4.5 metre antenna mast, which will provide better communications, and can accommodate up to seven members of crew to and from incidents.

It was used for the first time on Sunday when SARA provided safety cover for Chepstow Harriers’ Offa’s ‘Orror half marathon.

The SARA Lifeboat and Rescue Centre in Chepstow has 63 crew members, based from as far as Cardiff and Gloucester and members’ ages range from 17 to 90.

SARA itself was founded in 1973 and has 16 operational boats, 15 mobile response units and about 150 volunteers, making it the second largest lifeboat service in the UK after the RNLI.

For more information on SARA visit sara-rescue.org.uk