A BREAK-IN cost one of Scotland's busiest mountain rescue teams £11,500 in stolen goods - but it is now having to spend another £50,000 extending its headquarters to help beef up security.

Glencoe Mountain Rescue team is planning a new public appeal to help raise the funds for the improvements.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the rescue team, which has been called out 70 times already this year, had been the victim of break-ins on consecutive nights.

In the second raid, thieves made off with equipment valued at £11,500, including a quad bike.

Since then the team has been inundated with offers of help and nearly £1000 has been donated in just a few days, mostly in small contributions.

However a new appeal is now inevitable.

The team has been renting a store, at what used to be the old Glencoe Hospital which has been turned into a luxury hotel.

The store was in the old ambulance garage, where thieves first broke in through the roof and just took some scrap.

But having seen what was there, they returned the next night, made another hole in the roof and left with items ranging from radios to a pump for the rescue boat in their getaway vehicle.

Team leader John Grieve said: "We have had a great response and it shows people are willing to support us at a time when it is more and more difficult for people to make charitable donations.

"The loss of the equipment means that we have an operational deficiency until it is all replaced, not least the quad bike."

The bike is used for a variety of tasks including maintaining radio masts and taking stretchers carrying injured climbers off certain hills, he said.

"Even when insurance is taken into account, we are going to have a serious shortfall," he said. "So when we had our annual general meeting this week, the decision was taken that we will extend our HQ in Glencoe village specifically so we accommodate this gear securely. We will have to apply for planning consent, but it is likely to cost around £50,000 which cannot come out of normal operating budget.

"So once again we will asking for public support, as we did when we built the HQ 15 years ago, raising around £110,000 in total."

He said the break-in forced the decision on the team but it would have obvious advantages in not having to drive through narrow roads leading to the former hospital at speed when the alarm has been raised.

He said he would be contacting websites for climbers and walkers and other sources.

"We will be employing an architect, almost immediately and then apply for planning permission so we can get going as soon as possible," he said.

He said his opinion of the thieves was unprintable, and thanked everybody who had already contributed.

Most donated by way of the Just Giving website where some expressed messages of support.

These ranged from "hope this helps. It is good to know you will be there if my friends or I need help" to "Saddened to hear about the loss of kit. Huge thanks for your ongoing efforts and looking out for those of us adventuring into the hills".