Ambleside

It rained, like it has never rained before. Many people woke up to extensive flooding. Homes and businesses were flooded, cars washed away, boats sank and many people stranded. The local ambulance station was completely flooded. Ambulance, Police and Fire Service all spent the day operating from our base,

A pair of walkers were forced to stop when the torch they proved insufficient to light their way. They were located by team members and escorted from the fell.

A woman was reported overdue when she failed to return home at the expected time. There was concern for her welfare, so a search was organised. SARDA were called as well, and she was located around midnight, by a dog handler, with a minor leg injury. She was returned home.

Two people phoned for help after becoming lost and unable to find a way off Loughrigg. Uncertain of where they'd started from, and without a map, they didn't really help themselves. Poor mobile phone signal made assisting them a little frustrating, but eventually they found a way off.

Male, overdue. Located walking on road to Ambleside after navigation error.

Male, lost, a little clueless. Talked back to the road.

A couple with two dehydrated dogs phoned for help when they became 'bracken-fast' on Loughrigg. They were given directions back up the hill to find a path, and it was suggested they got the dogs a drink when they crossed a stream.

Walkers reported a sheep stuck in a bog on Wansfell. Two team members, walking in the area, investigated and found a sheep stuck in a bog. Equipment was brought up to allow people to get on to the bog surface without sinking, and the sheep was hauled out. It failed to express any noticeable gratitude, and ran of followed by its hungry lamb.

A couple became separated during their walk. Male reported missing. Turned up during initial enquiry stage

A couple reported themselves having difficulty finding their way of what they thought to be Great Rigg. They were given some directions and advice that should have led them in to the Rydal valley. We then lost touch with them, but had a reliable sighting of them in the Brotherswater Inn(!) later that evening. We eventually established that they had found their way off, and were safe.

Requested to assist ambulance with recovery of teenage girl with breathing difficulties.

Flashing lights were reported from the Nab Scar area. While trying to spot the lights and identify if there was a problem, team members came across a group who admitted to having just come of the hill, having had a late start and a long day, and who had come that way with one torch between them. No other lights were spotted, so we went home.

A pair of elderly walkers became separated from their family group. The remainder of the group made it down, but the other two were reported overdue. We assisted Patterdale MRT and SARDA with a search for them. They were located fairly quickly on the Patterdale side of the hill.

A man slipped and sustained a suspected fractured ankle. We set off to rescue him, requesting helicopter assistance. This was provided by RAF Leconfield and the man was airlifted to Carlisle Royal Infirmary.

Two men took the decision to descend from Link Hause to escape the frozen conditions they had found on the ridge. Unfortunately, while still high on the headwall, one of them slipped, avoiding his friends attempt to stop him. He fell several hundred metres, coming to rest above a small crag. He sustained fractured ribs, suspected fractured arm, and multiple other injuries. He was treated and stabilised by team members, then airlifted to Lancaster Royal Infirmary by RAF Leconfield. His friend was also airlifted, having suffered hand and facial injuries in his attempt to stop his friend.

A second delivery of groceries to a remote property, whose occupants had been unable to leave for three weeks, and needed resupplying. Assisted by Ambleside Spar shop.

We transported an elderly male back to his home after some time in a residential care home and took a care worker to an elderly rersident in a remote house. Both destinations were inaccessable via conventional means due to snow and ice on steep roads.

Groceries and medication transported to a remote property, whose occupants had been unable to leave for two weeks, and were running low on supplies. Assisted by Ambleside Spar shop and Bells Chemist.

Assisted ambulance crew in accessing a casualty on a steep ice bound road.

We were requested to assist police in evacuating 13 people from a Hummer stretch limo after it became stuck in deep snow at the summit of the pass. The driver had followed his sat-nav, which failed to warn him of the snow. Looking out of the window obviously failed to provide enough information. Sadly we failed to get any photos.