A volunteer of Penrith Mountain Rescue team will be heading to China for a first-aid role within the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Keith Hill, 53 based in Brampton, will be heading to Beijing as the only UK-based ski patroller ahead of the global event due to start on 4 February 2022.

Mr Hill said if "all goes well with travel arrangements" he will leave on 22 January and spend a total of seven weeks in China, covering both events.News and Star: Keith Hill, 53, volunteer with Penrith MRT.Keith Hill, 53, volunteer with Penrith MRT.

"I’ve been responsible for mid-week Ski Patrol in Glen Coe in Scotland for over 20 years and am active in the British Association of Ski Patrollers and its international equivalent.

"It’s through those contacts that the Olympic Committee’s request for a ski patrol team to work in Beijing came through to me and I am honoured to be involved," he said.

Mr Hill's responsibility within the global event will be to provide first aid whilst working on the downhill and slope style events, whilst also providing an input to the barriers and safety precautions surrounding the slopes.

"There’s plenty of heavy fetching and carrying on steep slopes as well as using my casualty care background to deal with potentially serious injuries, so there are a lot of similarities with being a volunteer in mountain rescue," he said.

The first-aid instructor and ski patroller of Glen Coe has been a member of the Penrith MRT since the beginning of 2020, and last year he successfully completed his MR Casualty Care qualification.

Mr Hill said the Olympics will bring together a combination of his skills and training to the forefront.

"There’ll be language challenges, I’m sure, but working with colleagues from a range of countries will give the opportunity to see and discuss different approaches.

"I’m looking forward to being part of such a huge global event and seeing China first hand," he said.

The Penrith MRT, which is funded by donations, currently has 38 volunteers within its ranks and covers 1600 square miles from the Far Eastern Fells of the Lake District across to the North Pennines and all the way up to the Scottish border.

Last year the team responded to 45 call outs.