A new army of volunteers is being set up to help search for missing people.

The Leicestershire Search & Rescue group is expected to be up and running by the summer and will assist the emergency services in the county when children and vulnerable adults go missing and large areas need searching.

The police currently carry out such searches, but more and more local search and rescue groups are being set up under the umbrella of the Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (Alsar).

The first was set up in 1995 and there are now 23 around the UK, covering most of the country.

John Howells, a former police officer who lives in Moira, near Coalville, and his friend Andy Spry, a firefighter in the West Midlands, are behind the new Leicestershire group, which was approved by Alsar last month.

The group is now looking for up to 30 volunteers who will be on standby to assist in searches and will receive training in first aid.

John said: "We started putting feelers out in November last year because Leicestershire was one of the gaps in the map because it didn't have a search and rescue organisation.

"We're now in the process of gaining funding and donations to get the kit together to go operational in June or July.

"When the emergency services require our assistance they will be able to call upon us.

"Usually it's when someone goes missing and the police ask us for a certain number of people to cover certain areas to search until the missing person is found.

"The volunteers will have basic medical equipment and training in case they find someone who's injured."

John and Andy, who will be having a meeting with Leicestershire police next month, will also be fundraising to pay for a command vehicle and insurance.

A police spokeswoman said: "Leicestershire Police works with a number of organisations including search and rescue teams and we will explore any opportunities which help us locate missing people."

For more information, and to download an application form, visit:

www.leicestershire-sar.org.uk