FIREWORK burns, a broken ankle and the birth of a baby were all in a night's work for Bolton's Mountain Rescue team.

The 14-strong team stepped in to help paramedics from the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service on one of their busiest nights of the year - New Year's Eve.

They dealt with 19 incidents throughout New Year's Eve and into New Year's Day, as the crew backed up the emergency medical vehicles serving Greater Manchester.

Dave Healey, who was the team's controller throughout the festive period, said: "We have a really good working relationship with the ambulance service.

"They provide us with training and it's all to do with the type of work we do, because if people are injured or ill and need to be moved, we can do it much easier than paramedics.

Bolton's Mountain Rescue team dealt with a total of 55 incidents in the three days they worked with the ambulance service - on December 23, December 30 and New Year's Eve.

These included a pregnant woman who had gone into a labour, a youngster with breathing difficulties, and a man in his 40s who had facial burns after being hit with a firework just after midnight on December 31.

The team also performed a dramatic rescue on a woman who was out walking close to the Jumbles Reservoir. She fell and broke her ankle and the crew had to find her, give her emergency treatment and carry her for three-quarters of a mile before paramedics could rush her to hospital.

Mr Healey said: "It is extremely busy for the ambulance service on New Year's Eve. At first we were simply carrying out hospital transfers, but by 1.30am on New Year's Day we were being called out to real emergencies. We were being sent here there and everywhere around the county."