A Cumbrian theatre director is set to showcase some of the best stories from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team in an upcoming play.

Lexie Ward spent six months shadowing the volunteers in Keswick on their Thursday night training sessions.

Now, Lexie, who also performs with her company Highly Suspect, is asking for people to get in contact with her, sharing their own opinions and experiences with the mountain rescue team.

Although the play isn’t expected to be finished until 2025 or 2026, Lexie is confident that the vast range of stories and emotions will result in a play well worth watching.

Speaking to the News & Star, she said: “The idea came to me during the pandemic, so it’s been a long time on the burner. It was the first time I could take my foot off the gas in a while, as there was no theatre being made, and my partner and I really got into walking. I spotted some social media posts from the mountain rescue team, saying they were being overwhelmed, and the two interests interlined.

“When I found out that they were volunteers, I had a real appreciation for what they do. This is a service where they are putting themselves in danger to rescue strangers they’ve never met. As a theatre maker, that was a really interesting story to explore.”

Lexie received funding from Michael Grandage’s London-based bursary programme, which has allowed her to spend time researching everything she needs to put the play together.

The locality of Keswick MRT’s base and the Theatre by the Lake also ensures that there is a ‘real community story to be told’ through Lexie’s production, which is likely to be a verbatim tale.

After sharing a post on Facebook through Keswick MRT’s channel, Lexie has already set up 13 interviews.

She said: “I’ve been really pleased with the amount of interest I’ve had so far. The overall vibe I get is that people are tremendously grateful for Keswick MRT.

Anyone interested in sharing a story or opinion can do so by emailing mountainrescueplay@gmail.com.