Oldham Mountain Rescue Team has shared a tribute to one of its long-standing volunteers who has died of cancer.

Sarah Anderson joined the rescue team more than 25 years ago and rapidly became a "skilled and useful" team member with her hill fitness, "amazing" navigational skills and medical capabilities.

"She was an asset to the team", the tribute posted online by Oldham Mountain Rescue Team (OMRT) read.

The team revealed Sarah won the "sartorial elegance" award at its Rocks Off awards during its Christmas party.

OMRT said she won it because of the "wallet stuffed in the back pocket of her Ron Hill leggings which looked more like a giant wart".

"Sarah was always more about function than elegance."

The explorer also took advantage of many of the team's winter trips to Scotland to learn skills on snow and ice and its summer trips to Assynt and Sutherland to soak in the hills and coastline.

This "only helped to increase her love of wild and remote places", OMRT said.

In 2011, Sarah was one of few volunteers to make the week-long trip to the Swiss Alps where her fluent German proved a "useful asset".

Although she left the team in 2012 to explore other opportunities and create her own gardening business, OMRT said she kept in touch with team members over the years and she continued to "walk, backpack and explore the outdoors".

But tragically, Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 which spread to her liver.

Following chemotherapy treatment, she was released from the Christie in February 2022 where she was given a short time left to live.

OMRT continued: "With her typical determination, she fought her way back to fitness, getting back to hillwalking and doing a zip wire in North Wales with her partner during the summer, as well as a variety of trips for holidays in the hills and on the coasts."

But by the end of 2022, the cancer in her liver started to grow again and was taken back into the Christie in March.

The chemotherapy failed to have any effect and she married her partner, Kathleen, at the end of March while still in hospital.

Sarah sadly died the following week.

"Our thoughts go out to Kathleen and all of Sarah's loved ones at this impossible time.

"Rest well Sarah. Always on the hill", Oldham Mountain Rescue Team said.

Tributes from those who knew Sarah through the rescue team have also been pouring in.

Carl Manning said he had "fond memories" of Sarah during her probation when the pair were "mere 'legs' and kit providers".

"An amazing lass, an enormous loss", he added.

Karen Mills added: "So sad to read this. I recently met Sarah at Dr Kershaw's and loved listening to her stories about her life and love for Kathleen.

"Sleep well, lovely lady."

Another volunteer, Andy Beedham, said Sarah had helped him on Cairngorm when he was too tired to carry on.

"Her gentle persuasion got me off the hill. Great lady", he added.

A neighbour, Lee Cullen, described Sarah as a "beautiful soul, inside and out" who was a "very caring person".

Laura Calloway agreed: "Sarah was our gardener for the past few years and such a kind and thoughtful person and so passionate about her new career. She was happy to support others."

"She was such a vibrant, vivacious person", another commented.