The Cairngorms, where the RAF Leuchars mountain rescue team will spend Christmas. Photo: Nick Bramhall

As you tuck into your turkey tomorrow, spare a thought for the rescuers spending their time in a Highlands bothy, on call to come to the aid of walkers and climbers over the festive period.

Each year, members of RAF Leuchars mountain rescue team decamp to a bothy near Newtonmore to be close to the action should anyone need rescue between Christmas and New Year. More than a dozen RAF personnel will enjoy their festive lunch cooked in the remote shelter in the Cairngorms.

Media and communications officer Keith Wardlaw explained the team also uses the period to train in real winter conditions. The team is split into two groups, under leader Flight Sergeant John Roe and deputy leader Simon Brill. Mr Wardlaw said: “At Christmas and New Year, go to the area on standby.”

The team is normally based at RAF Leuchars in Fife.

“The training programme gives a lot of the younger guys a taste of true what it’s like on the mountains in true winter conditions.”

The team can be called out by any of the police forces that need mountain rescuers’ help. “In this kind of weather,” Mr Wardlaw said, “time can be vital.” Which is why being in the area is important over the festive period.

The full Leuchars mountain rescue squad consists of 36 members, though at any time some will be serving away.

There are four RAF mountain rescue teams in the UK, based at Leuchars, Kinloss in Moray, Leeming in North Yorkshire and Valley on Anglesey.

Their prime role is the search and rescue of aircraft crash survivors and victims, and teams operate in addition to the RAF’s search and rescue helicopter crews, often in weather and conditions that cannot be reached by a helicopter.

Each team has permanent staff of eight volunteers, supplemented by volunteers from all ranks and trades within the RAF, each person giving up their free time to train.

The RAF mountain rescue teams also work widely with the volunteer civilian MRTs throughout the UK. This year the Leuchars team has been called to 21 incidents.