THE family of an Alzheimer's sufferer from Alcester, who was found safe and well after going missing for 21 hours, are now aiming to raise money for the volunteer teams who helped search for their relative.

Ted Hemming disappeared at around 6.30pm on Friday, September 26 from Meadow View Residential Care Home where he had been staying on a temporary basis while his carer was away.

Alcester residents, Warwickshire and West Mercia Search and Rescue, the police and family members including his three children all joined forces to look for Ted.

He was later found in a field near Great Alne by his son Reza and daughter-in-law Jenny.

Rudee Hemming, wife to Ted, said: "Our family wanted to show our enormous gratitude to the volunteers who came from so far and wide to help in the search for Ted. We had not realised that there were people out there who would give up their time and money to help others in this way, and we want to spread the word for them."

Lowland Search and Rescue is a voluntary organisation which provides teams to assist the emergency services to search for missing persons.

The specialists are unpaid and fund their own fuel and equipment to attend missing person emergencies across the country.

Andy MacAuley, who led the volunteer teams looking for Ted, said: "To protect the most vulnerable people in our society we cannot talk about most of the work we do and thus we lose out on donations to our Mountain Rescue cousins.

“As Lowland Rescue volunteers, we are on call to help the police search for those with dementia, mental health problems or other vulnerabilities at their time of greatest need. To have Ted's family offer us this kind of support is an amazing gesture, and it makes a huge difference to the morale of our volunteers, who give their time and money asking for nothing in return."

The event will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 5.30pm at Alcester War Memorial Town Hall.

Members of the public are invited to come and meet the teams.

For more information visit warksar.org.uk, wmsar.org.uk or lowlandrescue.org.