CALL OUTS in 2003 Incidents Report by Nick Owen

Incident/Location	Date/time	What happened
1. Fellwalking Pike Howe Gt Langdale	4th January at 14.16	A man slipped on an icy path and sustained a suspected fractured ankle. We did what we do on a fine sunny winters day. Just the excuse for a walk in the sun.
2. Fellwalking Sunny Brow Outgate	6th January at 11.06	A woman slipped and sustained an ankle injury. We were called to assist the ambulance with her evacuation.
3. Fellwalking Park Fell Troutbeck	9th January at 14.45	A 52-year-old woman slipped and sustained an ankle injury. We splinted her leg, carried her down the fell a bit, and loaded her into an air ambulance.
4. Assist Ambulance 'Duck Pond' Grasmere	13th January at 17.39	Our services were required to help pull an Ambulance out of a ditch. It can happen to the best of us!! Trust me, it can!
5. Search Central Fells Langdale	13th January at 18.31	A 37-year-old lone male walker was reported overdue. A search was organised, with assistance from SARDA Lakes, Keswick, Kendal and Wasdale MRT's. He was located 00.50, cold, wet but OK. He was escorted down and transported back to Ambleside. We went home around 3.30 am.
6. Search Central Fells Langdale	19th January at 15.47	The team was made aware that two people had become stranded near Crinkle Crags summit, and were unable to make their way down. An advanced team was sent up to locate them, followed by others, in case they weren't where they thought they where (a common experience for us). They were there, and were walked off by the advance party, while rest of us made our own way back down. Very limited navigational skill was probably to blame.
7. Search Central Fells Langdale	21st January at 19.29	Three young men contacted friends by text messaging to report that they were lost and unable to find a way down. They were unable make voice contact because of poor phone reception. We were contacted and told by them, by text, that they were near Angle Tarn. (If you haven't experienced the joy of text, ask a fourteen-year-old. Watch those fingers go!) Four team members and a SARDA dog went up to locate them. Surprisingly (see incident 6) they weren't there, but after a short search we could here them shouting. Initially we were unable to locate them from the noise, due to swirling winds, but with cunning detective work, and the assistance of dog Paddy (and a desire to get home to bed), we located them near High House Tarn. This is approximately 3km from Angle Tarn. They had been on Scafell and had run out of daylight on their way down. Then they made a wrong turn. All were inadequately equipped, and one was wearing trainers. They had one fading torch and a damp and malfunctioning mobile phone. They were escorted down to Borrowdale, where a Keswick MRT vehicle was waiting to return us to Ambleside. Fell into bed around 3.30am!
8. Fellwalking Nr Lowood Hotel Ambleside	22nd January at 15.54	We were requested to assist the ambulance service with evacuation of a 60-year-old woman who had sustained a leg injury following a slip on wet ground. It makes a change to be dealing with this type of incident after our recent series of excursions into the wilderness!
9. Paragliding Seat Sandal Grasmere	9th February at 16.43	A paraglider landed heavily after falling around 20 ft. He sustained injuries to his lower back. He was immobilised with a collar and vacuum mattress, and then flown to Carlisle by the RAF.
10. Fellwalking Blindtarn Moss Grasmere	10th February at 15.42	A woman slipped and sustained an ankle injury. She hobbled down quite a long way, then called for help. She was treated at the scene and then removed to a place of safety.
11. Search Central Fells	10th February at 19.57	We were called to assist in a search for two woman, one of who had broken her leg. They had phoned for help and estimated that they were an hour from Seathwaite, and near a waterfall, but that was the extent of the information received. Contact was lost, and we were unable to speak to them again. An massive search was organised, involving 9 rescue teams, including Keswick, Wasdale, RAF Leeming, two helicopters and ourselves. They were located at 12.30 on Tuesday lunchtime, in Eskdale. They had spent the night huddled under a space blanket, in the shelter of a boulder. They were picked up by helicopter suffering from the previously mentioned broken leg and hypothermia. It would be fair to say it was a cold night, with snow and freezing rain. The whole incident took 22 hours, and involved 140 people. I think they were lucky to have survived.
12. Fellwalking Wansfell	15th February at 13.09	A man in his 50's slipped and dislocated his ankle near the summit. He was splinted and loaded into a passing helicopter, and carried down to Ambleside. Saved us a carry!
13. Fellwalking Loughrigg	16th February at 15.24	A woman slipped near the top of Loughrigg, and sustained a suspected fractured ankle. We were called and found her near the bottom of the hill, having been assisted down by some passersby. Even easier than yesterday!!
14. Fellwalking Stickle Ghyll Gt Langdale	18th February at 12.26	A man in his 50's complained of chest pains just below the bridge on the Stickle Ghyll path. He was monitored by team members and taken to hospital. We had met this gentleman before in similar circumstances about 8 years ago.
15. Fellwalking Red Tarn Little Langdale	18th February at 15.05	A 60-year-old Kendal man collapsed suffering from chest pains. Sadly, despite efforts by people at the scene, he died. He was lifted down to Three Shires Stone by the Air Ambulance, and then transported to Ambleside by road.
16. Swimming Easedale Tarn Grasmere	22nd February at 13.31	A 36-year-old man from Leeds was swimming in Easedale Tarn, and slipped while getting out. As a result he fractured his tibia and fibula. He was treated at the scene and airlifted to hospital. It's probably none of my business, but you do have to wonder about the wisdom of swimming in water where being hit by an iceberg is a real possibility!!
17. Fellwalking Pavey Ark Gt Langdale	22nd February at 15.26	A 8-year-old boy fell over backwards and banged his head near the summit of Pavey Ark. He developed a nose bleed. We were called, and he was evacuated to hospital by the same helicopter that had helped on the earlier rescue.
18. Fellwalking Tongue Ghyll Grasmere	1st March at 14.29	A 46-year-old man slipped and sustained an ankle injury. Luckily (for us!) he was close to the bottom of the track, so we didn't have to go to far.
Search Great Rigg Grasmere	1st March at 15.00	A couple phoned to say they were lost somewhere in the Great Rigg area. We were just organising a search, and finishing off dealing with the previous casualty, when they were found by people who did know where they where, and how to get down. They led them off. Just as well, because it was getting busy.
19. Fellwalking Raise Beck Grasmere	1st March at 15.26	A young girl slipped and banged her head. She stabilised by her companions and then treated by the team. She was evacuated to hospital by an RAF helicopter.
20. Fellwalking Loughrigg Ambleside	22nd March at 13.05	A woman slipped while descending and sustained a suspected ankle fracture. The rest is, as they say, history.
21. Fellwalking Side Pike Gt Langdale	29th March at 14.34	A woman slipped and sustained an ankle injury. We did our stuff, and she was dispatched to hospital. We went home.
22. Fellwalking Mickleden Gt Langdale	1st April at 03.41	Have you seen the time! And not an April fool. And full-on appalling weather! A young camper suffered a fit and an ambulance was called. When they realised how far from the road he probably was, they called us. We were on our way when we were alerted to the fact that the young man had recovered, and walked out to meet the ambulance crew. Our help was no longer required so we returned to our beds. It's an hour lost from my life that I'll never recover!
23. Fellwalking Silver Howe Grasmere	5th April at 16.15	A woman slipped while descending, and sustained a suspected fracture to her lower leg. A dozen of us trekked the short way up the fell and did our stuff. I doubt our victim really appreciated the trip down, but the weather has been great recently, not withstanding the previous callout, of course! It was a pleasant round trip.
24. Fellwalking Pavey Ark Gt Langdale	13th April at 13.00	A man slipped and fell approximately 20 feet, sustaining suspected fractures to his wrist and lower leg. He was treated and evacuated with assistance from Kendal MRT
25. Fellwalking Blind Tarn Grasmere	15th April at 14.35	A 9-year-old girl fell from a tree and sustained a deep puncture wound in her leg. We did our stuff, but not as high up the hill as is usual
26. Swimming Slaters Bridge Little Langdale	16th April at 14.15	A boy sustained a deep cut to his leg when he jumped in to a pool at Slaters Bridge.
27. Search Pavey Ark Gt Langdale	17th April at 13.08	We received reports of a fallen climber on Pavey Ark. Our investigation revealed only a fallen sheep. It was very dead. You never know what to expect next in mountain rescue
28. Search Dunmail Raise Grasmere	17th April at 18.15	A 73-year-old woman was reported as overdue. We spent some time searching around the area. She turned up safe and well
29. Fellwalking Black Tippet Crag Fairfield	18th April at 11.11	Two men were reported as cragfast. We went to assist them, but further contact revealed that they were nearer the Patterdale side, so they recovered them instead. Having benefited from hindsight, these two could probably sorted themselves out, if they hadn't had access to a mobile phone
30. Fellwalking Crinkle Crags Gt Langdale	18th April at 14.33	A man in his 30's pulled a rock on to his foot, crushing it badly. He was rescue with assistance from Kendal MRT and a helicopter from RAF Boulmer
Two photos from the chap in the previous incident. The left shows his xray, and the right shows his undamaged boot.
31. Scrambling Crinkle Crags Gt Langdale	21st April at 17.09	A 29-year-old woman slipped while scrambling in Crinkle Ghyll, falling onto a ledge on her knees. She sustained a suspected fracture to her patella. Regular readers of our website, and our Annual Report may be aware of how knees make me queasy, and eyes! If I was the character in The 39 Steps, then you could do (almost) what you wanted to my teeth, but I'd tell you anything, or do anything, if you threatened to mess with my knees, or eyes! We were assisted by members of Kendal MRT
32. Search Mill Ghyll area Gt Langdale	23rd April at 18.11	A 12-year-old girl left her group, who reported her missing. We assembled and started a search. She was located by the Police at Skelwith Bridge, unharmed. She was reunited with her group, and we went home. A nice evening for a walk out.
33. Search Crinkle Crags Gt Langdale	24th April at 15.08	A boy was reported missing from his family group on Crinkle Crags. We assembled at the bottom of the Band to start to look for him when he was located, sitting on his parents car, in the Old Dungeon Ghyll car park.
34. Search Raise Beck and Dollywagon Pike Grasmere	25th April at 20.05	We were requested to assist Patterdale MRT with a search for a man reported as ill in a tent in the Helvellyn area. He was eventually located at Red Tarn, suffering mild hypothermia.
35. Fellwalking Hunting Stile Gt Langdale	26th April at 17.43	A 36-year-old woman slipped while descending and sustained an injury to her ankle.
36. Fellwalking Spedding Crag Gt Langdale	10th May at 14.55	A 13-year-old girl slipped and sustained an injury to her ankle. She was treated by team members and carried down.
37. Fellwalking Scandale Beck Ambleside	19th May at 13.20	A woman in her 50's slipped and sustained an injury to her ankle. She was treated by team members and carried down.
38. Fellwalking Claife Heights Ambleside	24th May at 16.20	A man in his 40's slipped and sustained a leg injury. He was treated by team members and carried down in our Ambulance then transferred to a waiting county Ambulance.
39. Fellwalking Lowood Ambleside	25th May at 12.15	A woman in her 60's slipped and sustained a leg injury. We did what we have done a lot of recently, then went home for lunch.
40. Fellwalking Silver How Grasmere	28th May at 12.28	A 13-year-old boy became separated from his family group after they failed to keep up with him. He was located at their planned destination! More a case of parents becoming separated from the kids!
Fellwalking Somewhere Cumbria	29th May at 16.30	We received a call via the Police from a man who was requesting help. He only seemed to know that he was in Cumbria. Questioning revealed that he was on Helvellyn. Further investigation revealed that his only problem was that they needed to contact his friend and had run out of credit on his mobile phone. It was suggested that he sorted himself out. I understand a different expression was used, but I can't repeat that here.
41. Fellwalking Ill Bell Windermere	30th May at 13.17	A 9-year-old girl had her finger partially severed when she pulled a stone from a cairn. She was treated by members of our team and Kendal MRT, then she was airlifted to hospital for further treatment.
42. Fellwalking Silver How Grasmere	31st May at 12.00	A man was found half-dressed and without shoes, sitting on the side of Easedale Tarn. He may have been there for several days, and appeared to have not eaten. He was escorted from the fell and taken to hospital for further help.
43. Fellwalking Brock Crag Ambleside	1st June at 11.52	A 45-year-old man slipped and sustained an ankle injury. He was treated and stretchered from the fell.
44. Search Grasmere area	4th June at 18.42	A 73-year-old man was reported overdue in Grasmere. He was supposed to be walking from Rosthwaite in Borrowdale. He was located around 11pm and escorted to safety in Grasmere. Keswick MRT were also involved, as were Young Motors, who had to repair our mobile 4 after we had a bit of trouble.
45. Search Grasmere area	9th June at 21.50	A 62-year-old man was reported overdue at his accommodation in Little Langdale. He was supposed to have been walking over from Stair in Newlands, but had not arrived. A search was organised, and he was located at Brotherikeld at around 2am. He was OK, and we got a walk out on a beautiful morning. We got home just as the sun was rising!
46. Fellwalking Harry Place, Gt Langdale	22nd June at 19.48	A 57-year-old American woman slipped on wet grass whist walking. It's just possible her footwear was unsuitable for the purpose. She sustained a suspected fractured ankle.
47. Assist Kendal MRT Milnthorpe	23rd June at 15.06	We were requested to send five team members to assist Kendal MRT in the rescue of a 15-year-old girl, who had fallen in a quarry near Milnthorpe. She was evacuated by air ambulance
48. Fellwalking Gibson Knott, Grasmere	28th June at 11.05	A 66-year-old man slipped and sustained an knee injury. He was treated at the scene and was airlifted to hospital by a helicopter working in the area.
49. Fellwalking Great Rigg, Grasmere	28th June at 17.00	A woman was reported as suffering from severe abdominal pains. Her location was given as Lord Crag, but she was found at Great Rigg, 2.5km away. She evacuated by an RAF helicopter.
50. Search Central Fells	30th June at 23.01	A 56-year-old man was reported overdue from his walk to Scafell. His car was found in Langdale. A search was organised and he was eventually located in the upper Esk valley at around 4am by a search dog. He had sustained a head injury, and was suffering from hypothermia. He was treated at the scene and then evacuated to Furness General Hospital by an RAF helicopter.
51. Search Grasmere/Langdale	2nd July at 14.10	A 71-year-old woman was reported missing from Grasmere. A search was organised and she was eventually located near Loughrigg Tarn.
52. Fellwalking Ullett Nest Gt Langdale	2nd July at 19.20	A 63-year-old man collapsed with a suspected heart attack. The team attended, along with local first responders, but he was certified dead at the scene by the team Doctor.
53. Fellwalking Dove Crag	9th July at 14.21	A man suffered a suspected heart attack near the summit of Dove Crag. We called Kendal MRT and a helicopter to help. The helicopter got there before all of us, so all we could do was turn around and walk back down again. He was taken to Carlisle hospital for treatment.
54. Fellwalking Heron Pike	10th July at 14.09	A male walker contacted us to say he had sustained a leg injury in the vicinity of Heron Pike. When we got there we found he had a head injury well. He was drifting in and out of consciousness and this was cause for concern. A helicopter was requested to assist, but this had to make a 'precautionary emergency landing' when it suffered a suspected mechanical failure. Eventually it picked up the casualty from near Alcock Tarn. Kendal MRT assisted us also. His companion, who had gone for help, took some finding, but that's another story.
55. Fellwalking Swinescar Pike Grasmere	11th July at 18.28	A 33-year-old male slipped and sustained a suspected fracture to his shoulder. He was treated by team members and carried down the fell, and then transported to Ambleside for onward transport to Lancaster. We were assisted again by Kendal MRT
56. Fellwalking Mickelden Gt Langdale	16th July at 16.27	A 14-year-old boy was reported as suffering from the heat. We attended and found someone slightly weary, and a bit hot.
57. Fellwalking Scandale Ambleside	17th July at 14.56	A 30-year-old male slipped and sustained an injury to his hand. We were able to drive to the scene, and deal with it quickly.
58. Fellwalking Stickle Tarn Gt Langdale	27th July at 15.15	A 58-year-old woman slipped and sustained a deep penetrating wound to her knee. She was treated by team members, evacuated to the valley by stretcher and then taken to hospital in Kendal MRT ambulance, who had come to assist.
59. Work party Easedale Tarn Grasmere	28th July at 12.51	A 19-year-old man slipped and banged his head. He was OK for a while, then lapsed into unconsciousness. We were called and found him conscious but not quite with it. He was treated with oxygen and evacuated to Carlisle Hospital in an RAF helicopter
60. Fellwalking Rydal Cave Loughrigg	1st August at 15.04	A woman slipped and sustained a leg injury. We were able to drive to her and didn't have to expend too much energy.
61. Fellwalking Bad Step, Crinkle Crag Gt Langdale	2nd August at 12.34	A man slipped just below the Bad step and sustained a deep gash to his lower leg. He was treated by team members then airlifted to hospital by the RAF, who were in the area.
62. Mountain Biking Skelghyll Woods Ambleside	9th August at 10.50	A man fell off the back of his bike after he failed to climb a steep, rocky track, sustaining a head injury in the process. We did our stuff and he was taken to hospital for treatment.
63. Fellwalking Loft Crag Gt Langdale	9th August at 17.02	A woman sustained a head injury when she slipped on the descent from Loft Crag. She was treated at the scene and taken to hospital. Read the BBC report here.
64. Ambulance Assist Wray Castle Ambleside	19th August at 21.12	A man sustained a suspected fractured ankle when he slipped on the lake shore during a family barbecue. An ambulance was called, and treated the man. We were called to assist with the evacuation up the steep ground to were the ambulance was parked.
65. Search Easedale Tarn Grasmere	27th August at 20.30	A woman got left behind her party when she failed to keep up with them. They reported her missing when they got back. She was reported as having a heart condition. A search was organised, but she turned up back at their hotel, in a taxi, just as we prepared to start. We never did find out where she'd been!
66. Fellwalking High Pike Ambleside	3rd September at 17.35	A woman slipped and sustained a fracture tibia and fibula. Her leg was splinted and she was given pain relief, and then evacuated to the valley for onward transport to hospital.
67. Fellwalking Helm Crag Grasmere	6th September at 14.30	A man sustained leg injury on the summit of Helm Crag. He was treated by team members, and stretchered down with help from Kendal MRT.
68. Fellwalking Blea Rigg Gt Langdale	10th September at 19.05	A man in his 60's sustained a knee injury on Blea Rigg. He was treated by team members, and stretchered down. We had a good turn out, since many team members were en route to a planned training session.
69. Fellrunning Oxendale Gt Langdale	14th September at 10.57	A man taking part in a mountain trial took a tumble, sustaining a head injury, shoulder injury, and multiple cuts and grazes. We were able to drive very close to him, and didn't have to expend too much energy in rescuing him.
70. Fellwalking Loughrigg Terrace Gt Langdale	19th September at 15.25	A woman in her 60's slipped while descending steep grass and sustained a suspected fracture to her right ankle. It's possible that her totally inappropriate footwear may have contributed to her slip.
71. Fellwalking Loughrigg Terrace Gt Langdale	23rd September at 12.06	A 71-year-old man suffered a diabetic collapse. He was assisted by passersby until we arrived. Once he had eaten and rested he was assisted to his car. He was checked by a doctor and given the all clear to drive home.
72. Fellrunning Bank Quarry, Elterwater Gt Langdale	4th October at 16.46	A young man was running with two friends when he took a tumble in a disused quarry. He sustained a deep cut to his kneecap. The cut was treated by the team doctor, and he was evacuated from the quarry by stretcher. His friends were loaned spare warm clothing and escorted from the hillside at the same time.
73. Fellwalking Spedding Crag, Elterwater Gt Langdale	16th October at 15.44	A woman slipped while descending, banging her head and fracturing her wrist. She was obviously in a great deal of pain, and was also nauseous. She was treated by team members and stretchered to our ambulance for transport to hospital
74. Scrambling Raven Crag, Gt Langdale	23rd October at 12.10	A woman slipped while scrambling. She fell approximately 100 ft , sustaining multiple injuries including suspected pelvic fractures, possible spleen damage, multiple rib fractures, leg fractures, wrist, back and head injuries. She was treated by team members at the scene and airlifted to Whitehaven by the RAF. Read the Westmorland Gazette report here.
75. Fellwalking Rydal Lake Shore, Grasmere	24th October at 12.06	A woman suffered a diabetic collapse. She was treated by a Paramedic from Cumbria Ambulance Service and evacuated by the team.
76. Search Crinkle Crags Gt Langdale	29th October at 18.08	A couple got separated on the approach to Crinkle Crags. The husband went back to look for his wife, but couldn't find her. We were called to search for her, and she was located at Brotherikeld. SARDA were also called to help out.
77. Search Central Fells Gt Langdale	30th October at 2.10	A father and son were reported as missing on a walk from Langdale to Scafell. A search was organised with help from Keswick and Wasdale MRT's and SARDA. After a number of reported sightings by people camping in the area, they were located near Greta Ghyll, on the Corridor Route at 6.30am. They were OK, but cold and were evacuated to Wasdale. It turns out that they had got to Scafell by asking directions, but seem to have run out of people to ask directions back again!
78. Fellwalking Great Castle How, Gt Langdale	2nd November at 15.44	A young woman collapsed, reported as diabetic and pregnant. Her partner called us for help, but didn't really know where they where. We were given three different locations, 2km apart. We eventually located them just as it was going dark. The woman was very cold, and unable to move; the man cold, but still able to walk. The woman was treated for her hypothermia and evacuated to the valley on our stretcher. The man was given additional clothing and escorted down as well. They had no map or compass, no torch, no spare clothing, no waterproofs, and it is certain that the woman would have died before daybreak had we not found them. There clothing was totally inadequate for the fells, in any conditions, let alone in the rain, hail, and thunder and lightning that we encountered in trying to find them. We were assisted by RAF Leeming MRT. I'll draw your attention to the woman's shoes, photo of which is included below. It does say 'new' on the side. Let's face it, it would have been a little reckless to go out in old boots. Read the Westmorland Gazette report here.
79. Fellwalking Easedale Tarn Grasmere	2nd December at 13.56	We were contacted by a man who had lost his compass and his way. He was located within sight of Easedale Tarn, and guided down.
80. Fellwalking Greenup Edge, Grasmere	3rd December at 18.39	We were contacted by a man who had become disoriented in the mist and dark, and who was unsure of his way down. He was met by team members in Far Easedale, and returned to his car.
81. Assist ambulance Brockhole, Windermere	7th December at 12.59	We were asked to assist the ambulance service with the evacuation of a man who had suffered head and neck injuries on a high section of the adventure playground at Brockhole Visitor Centre. They has treated his injuries, but needed us to lower him off with our ropes. Dropping him down the slide was ruled out!
82. Search Easedale Tarn and Blea Rigg Grasmere	27th December at 13.50	A father and son became separated in a snow storm and started to shout to each other, at the same time the local hunt passed through the area. The combined shouts were reported as shouts for help. We investigated and didn't find anyone in need of our assistance, so we left them all to it. A false alarm with good intent.
83. Fellwalking Kilnshaw Chimney, Red Screes Ambleside	29th December at 14.00	A man from Kendal allowed his dog, Zeus, to fall in to the top of Kilnshaw Chimney. It couldn't get back out because the ice build-up. He then went in to the gulley and couldn't get back out either. Fortunately someone passing, carrying a rope and crampons, lowered himself in to the gulley and stabilised both, preventing a serious deterioration in the circumstances. We arrived and the extracted Zeus and his owner, the other man having the wherewithal to sort himself out. Our casualty assured us he knew what he was doing, but failed to follow instructions to fasten on a helmet we had lowered him. When he moved it fell off and fell 130 metres to the scree below, scrapping it. He also claimed to be a regular fell-goer, but was on a 770 metre mountain in snow and ice in jeans, trainer and a sweatshirt. Not surprisingly he was very cold. We have drawn our conclusions from what we witnessed. I'll leave you to draw yours.
84. Ambulance Assist Ambleside	31st December at 20.30	Heavy snow caused difficult driving conditions, so we were requested to assist the ambulance with the transport of a casualty to hospital in Kendal. Happy New Year.