A BORDERS-BASED mountain rescue team experienced its busiest month on record in October.

Volunteers at Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team spent almost 400 hours attending 13 incidents.

A spokesperson said the figures reflected the "wide range of work" the group carries out and the "significant geographical spread of our patch".

October's call-outs included helping with missing person searches, evacuating hillwalkers and treating injured mountain bikers.

A spokesperson for the charity urged Borderers to continue to donate.

"Each incident takes team members away from their families, jobs and other responsibilities," they said.

"As a charity, we rely on donations to keep operating and providing a life-saving service. Please give generously if you are able."

Around 30 per cent of the team's call-outs are searches for missing people.

The group wants to buy thermal imaging camera equipment to help volunteers working in darkness.

A spokesperson said: "With the clocks going back and the longer nights, more of our searches will be in the hours of darkness. We are therefore launching an urgent appeal to fundraise £3,000 to equip our search teams with thermal cameras. We hope to have one camera carried in each of our three response vehicles.

"Thermal cameras are an advanced tool that will complement our search teams, search dogs and drones. The video shared here is a powerful demonstration of just how effective thermal cameras are and how they can be used to increase our chances of searches ending with a successful outcome."

To support the team's efforts, visit www.justgiving.com/tweedvalleymrt