THE volunteer members of Worcestershire's dedicated water rescue team have launched a campaign to raise the profile of the group and attract vitally needed funds.

Mercia Inshore Search and Rescue (MISAR) was founded by former firefighter Dave Walker in June 2005. Now the fully operational emergency organisation that works alongside the fire service would like to enlist the support of the public.

Whether it is searching for a missing person or pulling cows out of the river Severn MISAR is entirely voluntary.

Each and every member of the team has a day job but they are all willing and prepared to go out on the water whenever they are needed.

Operational crew member Ben Wilson said: "These are local people, men and women, who invest hundreds of hours and their own money to contribute towards a better community. When the flood barriers went up we manned them, free of charge, 24/7.

"It's a really strange feeling because nobody likes getting up at 3am in the morning. It's cold and dark, but you get back home knowing you've done something to help. It's a really weird feeling."

Fellow member Nick Harvey explained that MISAR members are trained to a very high level, both in the water and in boats. They often give up weekends to go on courses.

He said to complement the training, and to further the service they provide, they need the best equipment and the money to buy it.

"We need £10,000 to buy a boat called a Polycraft to replace the secondhand one we've got," he added.

"It is such a flexible boat, you can throw it down the bank to launch it quickly and we can go anywhere with it."

Since the summer the team has been involved in 40 incidents. Members are classed as a sub-divison of the emergency services.

Based at Upton-upon-Severn marina, MISAR is actually a national service.

"If there was another emergency like the one in the seaside village of Boscastle, north Cornwall, a couple of years ago, we would be out there helping," said Mr Harvey. "There's no question about that."

As well as 999 emergencies the team has monitored flooding in Worcestershire, taken part in a mass clear up of the river Severn and promoted water safety at a number of local festivals. To find out how to donate money, sponsor a boat or for more information about MISAR e-mail merciarescue@hotmail.com Alternatively telephone Nick Harvey on 07732054826 or Ben Wilson on 07747043387.