A GROUP of “pirates” have donated part of their treasure to a group of life savers.

Last year Pickering’s Rotary Club created a pirate ship which they named Sweet Charity, and “sailed out and about” in Ryedale collecting funds.

More than £17,000 was raised by the Rotary Club when they toured Sweet Charity, after it took part in The Vogalonga regatta in Venice.

Members donated £12,775 to Marie Curie, with a further £2,500 to Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue team to buy a new eight-man vessel.

Hugh Morgan, from Pickering Rotary Club, said: “Pickering Rotary are delighted to have been able to deliver this boat to the mountain rescue service.

“It provides a tangible demonstration that the generous donations made by the people of Ryedale have been put to use, right at the sharp end.”

Luke Arnold, president of Pickering Rotary Club, who formally handed over the rescue boat to the Mountain Rescue Team, added: “Let’s hope that the team is never called upon to use it in York, or any of the Ryedale towns that have suffered from flooding in these recent years.”

A spokesman for Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue said: “Thanks to a significant donation from the club we are now the proud owners of a specialist water rescue craft, capable of carrying eight people and weighing just 60kg.

“This augments the smaller raft we already possess which was so useful in central York last December.”

He said 20 per cent of their rescue work involved working in or around water, with past deployments including York, Cawood, Helmsley, Malton and Norton, Pickering, Selby, Tadcaster and Whitby.

He added: “The whole team wish to thank Pickering and District Rotary Club for such a kind donation which has the potential to help so many residents of our area.”