Lake District: Coniston Mountain Rescuer Anthony Robinson retires

Anthony Robinson MBE, 79, has served as both deputy and team leader for 26 and six years respectively - and has attended countless incidents.

Unbeknownst to him, fellow volunteer Roy lured him to the Black Bull Hotel under the pretense that he was going to get a few beers in for everyone. 

Anthony, who has been married to his wife Elizabeth, 74, for 55 years, said: "My wife knew and said it was the only secret she'd ever kept from me.

"We met about 5.30pm and I was worried about my tea so as 7 o'clock was approaching I was ready to go and Roy was like: 'I'm sorry, you're not going home,'.

"I was then told all about the presentation.

"We headed up to Herdwick's Cafe where there were both past and present members from CMRT along with representatives of Mountain Rescue England & Wales (MREW) and The Lake District Search & Mountain Rescue Association (LDSAMRA)."

Here, John Dempster MBE also commemorated John Robinson for 50 years’ service and Liz Ribchester for 10 years’ service.

Anthony added: "I was then presented with a certificate from MREW (Mountain Rescue England and Wales) and a special commemorative plaque.

"It was very kind of CMRT to take the time to make it out of the three different colours of local slate which is green, grey and black - I very much appreciated it."

Anthony first became involved in mountain rescues as a boy when his parents ran the Sun Hotel.

They would help those lost on the fells with no training and virtually no equipment.

The 'base' was an outbuilding where they would retrieve hot water bottles and Tilley lamps that were able to be carried through stormy weather.

At age 18, he became a fully-fledged rescuer in 1963.

"My first-ever rescue was a double fatality," said Anthony. "It was a climbing accident - they were the most common kind of rescue back then.

"That was a baptism of fire really, they weren't all that dramatic.

"Back then it was around nine rescues a year and now, up until December last year, it was around 56 or more.

"That's due to the sheer amount of people with their own cars now who can visit the fells."

Anthony has also seen huge advances in technology during his service.

He added: "When someone was lost, we used to have to rely on people who knew them telling us their plans.

"The hotel played a massive part as that would be the only number people could contact for updates.

"Phones have made a huge difference to rescues and now with iPhone and Sarco, we can simply send a text and get them to accept it wherever they are

"We also started out with a very small search and rescue helicopter that could hold around four people - now it's a lot easier for people to be airlifted to hospital within the magic sixty minutes."

One of the biggest highlights of Anthony's service was when he visited Buckingham Palace in 2014 and was presented with an MBE for 50 years' of service by Prince William.

Anthony has run many hotels and restaurants with his wife and now leases out holiday apartments in Coniston but will still be visiting the fells regularly with Elizabeth. 

He added: "I'll have to be careful that none of my old compadres aren't called to ever come and get me - I think I'd climb down myself."