Incidents

A 67-year-old man collapsed on a bridleway just above Elterwater Hall. He was treated on scene and transferred to an ambulance for transport to hospital in Kendal.

This man slipped on the lake shore path and sustained damage to his kneecap. He was carried UP- HILL(!) to the road. This is something we are quite unaccustomed to and don't want to make a habit of.

Tongue Ghyll seems to be proving popular this year. This woman slipped and injured her ankle. She was picked up in our Landrover and driven down the fell.

A 14-year-old boy hit a rock while sledging. He sustained lacerations and suspected fractures as a result. Taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary for treatment.

A young man with a history of blackouts suffered one on the bank of Mill Ghyll, causing him to fall 25 ft into the Ghyll. He sustained a suspected jaw fracture and spinal injuries. He was treated and evacuated by stretcher to an ambulance.

A man reported his Grandfather overdue for a rendezvous at Silverthwaite Car Park. He was tracked down in the Britannia Inn, Elterwater, well on his way to inebriation.

A man slipped on Jacks Rake and sustained a dislocated shoulder and collar bone injuries. He was treated for pain and immobilised at the scene and then airlifted to Furness General Hospital.

A party of five plus a man and wife met up, although hopelessly lost in the vicinity of Scandale Pass. They phoned 999 on a mobile and were talked down to Scandale Pass, where they were met by team members and escorted off.

A man was reported as in this area having a broken leg. We looked and couldn't find him. Further enquiries to the Police revealed that they had misheard Tongue Ghyll for Tom Ghyll and should have called out Coniston. This was done and the man was rescued.

A group allowed one of its inexperienced members to become separated near the summit of Pike O'Blisco. Despite his lack of map and compass he was located making his own way back to Langdale.

Two people became benighted when their torch battery failed. Take a spare battery and bulb-PLEASE!

Three experienced walkers were struck by lightning while descending The Band. All three suffered burns and shock. They were evacuated to Furness General Hospital by helicopter.

We were notified by the Police of an incident at a place I'll call Blea Blurr. Two men were lost in a blizzard and one had suffered leg injuries. The Police didn't get the second part of the name. It was lost in the atmospheric fug that accompanies many mobile phone calls in this area. We checked out our Blea Tarn and Rigg and found nothing. Keswick and Wasdale checked out their own Bleas, and found nothing. Penrith Team checked out their Blea water and found them. After a thorough soaking, a bit of exercise and a lot of head scratching we went home. Despite having no doubt saved many lives and much suffering, mobile phones are still lulling the unwary into false sense of security.

A lone American fellwalker was rather surprised to see us during his slow, but steady descent of Nab Scar. His light was reported as that of someone in difficulty, but he was OK.

A woman slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture. She was retrieved form the fell and conveyed to Hospital in our Ambulance.

People camping at Angle Tarn heard shouts for help. They phoned us and went to investigate. They found a husband and wife benighted and without a torch. They contacted us and informed us that they had room for them in their tents and would point them in the right direction in the morning. They had suffered no injuries so we left them to it. They were reported missing from their Grasmere Guest House at 10am the following day, by which time they were well on their way down. Lesson to be learned? Take a torch! It doesn't matter what time of year, how long you think you're going out for, or what activity you are planning. They're not expensive and weigh next to nothing, and can save you and us a lot of hassle.

We were requested by Coniston MRT to assist in a search for a man who had been missing overnight. He was located near Levers Water, safe and well.

A solo man was reported overdue at home. His route card left at home suggested an epic walk, and didn't narrow things down much. With the assistance of Keswick and Furness MRTs and SARDA Lakes he was located by a dog in Rossett Ghyll, benighted. He thought he was on The Band, this being a lot closer to his actual location than some other people we have retrieved this year. No amount of debriefing from us was going to assist him through the "debrief" he was going to get when he got home.

A Father (41) and Son (21) were reported overdue at home. A search was organised with the help of Keswick MRT and SARDA Lakes. They were eventually located by LAMRT on Gunson Knott. They were cold and benighted. Team members stocked them up with hot drinks and food and they were escorted off the hill at first light. Last heard on the phone to home promising to never go walking in the winter again!

A woman slipped and fractured her ankle. It's along way down from Loft Crag so we had plenty of opportunity to share her pain, and to be amused by some of the side effects of Morphine. (You giggle a lot, chatter incessantly and the rest is our secret.)

A woman slipped in her wellington boots and possibly fractured her ankle. If you do something daft like this, you've got to be ready for some abuse. It's all part of casualty care you know. Leaving your boots in the car doesn't help.

A couple reported themselves in difficulty in the mist near Three Tarns, by mobile phone. There were found quickly and escorted down. The Great Langdale Nannying Service PLC strikes again!

Having survived the previous day without any reports of 'Distress Flares' we were back to the old broken ankle routine. Did the job, went home.

We were alerted by mobile phone that these three were unhurt, but lost in the vicinity of Stickle Tarn. A search, using dogs and man power was organised, but nothing was found. A little later we were contacted from the Old Dungeon Ghyll to say that they had found there way down. An interview with them revealed that they had actually been near Angle Tarn (a subtle, but significant difference). Where I went to school, we would have called people like this "Divvies", and there are several popular contemporary expressions, that decency prevents me from using, that would be appropriate.

A 30-year-old man tore his knee ligaments near Harrison Stickle. A Team member, fell running in the area, was able to summon the assistance of a helicopter in the area with his MR radio, thereby saving the man (and us!) hours of pain and misery. Fell runners are a strange bunch of people, but they have there uses.

A 26-year-old woman slipped on wet vegetation and fractured her ankle. We were able to drive to her, so the evacuation was fairly straightforward.

A couple of climbers were reported as overdue from climbing on this popular crag. A small search of the area was organised and they were found safe and well, but benighted. With the aid of our torches, they were helped to the valley bottom.

A 67-year-old man collapsed on the shore of Rydal Water, while walking. An ambulance was summoned first. They treated his condition, but required our assistance to evacuate him.

A 40-year-old man sustained an ankle injury near Esk Hause. His friends carried him as far as the top of Rossett Ghyll and we arrived and treated him and carried him the rest of the way.

Injuries to this man were reported as serious. A helicopter was requested to assist but was unable to get close due to the weather. Investigation found the injuries to be quite minor, but we carried him down anyway. We were assisted by Kendal and RAF Leeming MRTs on a long and demanding carry off.

Slip, ankle, female. First time for this woman, Nth. time for us.

A 65-year-old woman slipped sustained a possible ankle fracture. We see more female ankles in a year, than a Victorian Dandy might have seen in his life. Can I write that? Is it sexist? Well I need to write something a bit different about ankles now and again!

An 85-year-old woman tripped and suffered a head injury. We were able to drive through the Ford and straight to her.

A 54-year-old woman slipped and sustained wrist and leg injuries and a minor head injury.

A voluntary patient from a London Hospital took trip to the Lakes. Her bag was found in Grasmere, with a suicide note. A search was mounted. She was located, semi conscious, by a SARDA handler and his dog, and then treated for Alcohol, Barbiturate and pain killer overdose.

A Grasmere Hotel manager saw flashing lights on the hill. We investigated, and found no-one in need of help.

Every now and again a needless and tragic accident occurs, the victim of which will suffer for the rest of their lives. A 30-year-old man fell about 35ft. while climbing, suffering head, arm, leg and very serious spinal injuries in the process. He was lowered to the base of the crag by his second, and then treated by the Team, and evacuated by helicopter to Preston. His spinal cord had been severed. They had set out after dark, after allegedly consuming a substantial quantity of alcohol, and were climbing despite advice from friends.

A 72-year-old woman suffered a suspected heart attack. She continued down, having taken her own medication, and we met her near the road, and escorted her the rest of the way, to a waiting ambulance.

Four boys on a D. of E. expedition were reported missing overnight. Their supervisor had been to check on them at their campsite at Grisedale Tarn, but had been unable to locate them, so reported them missing. We located the boys making their way to Grasmere, having spent the night at their campsite at......... Grisedale Tarn. They had pitched their tent in the lee of small mound to protect it from the wind, and had heard the supervisor calling them, but had been unable to attract his attention. Boys 1: Supervisor 0.

Three men were injured when they were blown off their feet by a freak gust of wind while trying to escape rock fall. Two of the men had serious injuries, including head, leg and arm. The other was less serious. The two were airlifted to Hospital, and the third was walked down after refusing to go in the helicopter. We were assisted by Bowland \Pennine Fell Rescue Team, who were in the area.

We were alerted to this incident by an informantdescending to Kirkstone Pass summit. A vehicle was dispatched but further investigation confirmed that Patterdale MRT had been notified of this incident and were already dealing with it.

A 72-year-old woman slipped sustained a suspected ankle fracture.

An 11-year-old girl sustained an ankle fracture. Belles Knot is along way up, or down, depending on your point of view, so Kendal MRT met us half way down, and in their usual sporting fashion, helped us the rest of the way. They also supplied some water, for which we were in great need.

A figure was reported as stationary on "Pluto", a popular and difficult rock climb. He was reported as being in this position for a long time. By the time we arrived he had moved on. We had a brief chat with two men descending from the crag and established that it was them who had been seen, and that no-one was in trouble. A complete lack of knowledge of rock climbing, and a pint or two of beer may have clouded our informants judgement slightly.

This 35-year-old man suffered an epileptic fit while descending after a days walk. He had come round by the time we got there, so we walked down with him. It was a hot, sunny day, and we were a little surprised at the amount of clothing he was wearing. We have seen people wearing less when it's snowing.

This Danish woman, having received the dodgy advice that it was O.K to walk on the high fells in modern sports sandals, then went and slipped and fractured her ankle. Again assisted by Kendal MRT on a long and hot carry down. The advice came from two separate sources, both of whom should have known better. It took two team members to carry down here 'luggage'!

A 19-year-old woman suffered a recurrence of an old injury while helping with footpath repairs above high Red Tarn. We treated her and were carrying her down when another member of the same party suffered a similar fate. We called Kendal MRT in to assist at this point.

A 44-year-old woman slipped while descending from climbing and sustained a dislocated shoulder and knee injuries. She was treated on the hill and airlifted to Furness General Hospital by RAF Boulmer.

A 12-year-old boy was allowed to swim out to an island, but only just made it and became stranded on the island, to exhausted and cold to swim back. The remoteness of the tarn meant that no boat was available, so a Team member donned a life jacket and swam out. Both were then pulled back to safety. A little better judgement of the boys swimming ability by the Father would have prevented this incident.

This man tumbled down the fellside, sustaining a dislocated shoulder and other arm injuries on the way. He made his own way down, and we met him at the car park.

A 55-year-old woman slipped and sustained a suspected fracture to her lower leg.

An old knee injury re-occurred, apparently rendering this 17-year-old boy unable to move. The diagnosis, PATHETIC.

A young man abseiling, under instruction, slipped and pendulumned into a rock face, sustaining a lower leg fracture and knee injuries.

We were requested to assist the Ambulance Service with a young boy who was being brought ashore to receive treatment for head injuries when he was hit by the boats boom.

An 83-year-old local woman slipped and fractured her lower leg.

We were asked to assist the Ambulance Service to evacuate an elderly man with a suspected stroke from a remote climbing hut.

A 30-year-old local woman was seriously injured when she fell from her horse. The horse tried to finish the job by rolling on her. She suffered head, neck, arm and spinal injuries.

This 75-year-old woman tripped and suffered multiple injuries, including head and leg. She was also suffering from Vertigo, although in which order these things happened, we're not quite sure.

Imagine the surprise of the teachers from this school, when a second of there D. of E. expeditions had to be rescued. (See previous incident) This time it was a severe asthma attack, possible triggered by swimming in the cold Tarn, when camped for the night. We all went to bed very late.

Two 16-year-old girls on a D. of E expedition collapsed, suffering from severe dehydration, on a very hot day. Both were given I.V. fluids and oxygen and taken to hospital.

This 52-year-old American woman suffered a badly dislocated kneecap after she had slipped and landed on it. It's kneecaps in room 101 for me, and eyeballs. I can't do them. For some people it's spiders, for others, flying, for me it's knee caps and eyeballs (and Austin Maestro's, but this is neither the time or the place)

It's just possible that this womans injuries were not as bad as she was making out, and the sight of a helicopter passing close by prompted her to call us by mobile phone. Anyway, once she had been airlifted to the valley bottom, she was able to hobble to her car, to go to Hospital, we think.

A 12-year-old girl suffered an Asthma attack. She was treated with her own medication and passed on to the Ambulance for transport to hospital.

A search was organised, with assistance from SARDA, to locate a man who was reported as several hours overdue from his walk. He turned up as Team Members were being deployed on the fells. His dogs short legs was cited as the reason he was late back.

A man and wife in their 40's became lost and used a mobile phone to dial 999 for help. They had no map or compass, and not much common sense. They claimed to be on Bowfell, heading north, but we couldn't find them, and they were eventually escorted off by other walkers never to be seen again. We still don't know where they were, but they definitely weren't on Bowfell. Assisted by a helicopter from RAF Boulmer.

We expended a lot of energy when we were able to drive right to this mans side after he fractured his ankle on a bridleway.

An ambulance was called to this man on the Cumbria Way. They treated his ankle, a probable fracture, and asked us to assist with his evacuation to the roadside.

Two hours of searching for a sheepdog called 'Help'

A 13-year-old boy suffered a recurrence of an old ankle injury while walking with a group.

This 68-year-old woman collapsed, suffering from very low blood pressure. She was evacuated from the fell and taken to Kendal for treatment.

We were alerted to the presence of an abandoned push chair, with baby paraphernalia, on the banks of the river, in an isolated spot. Fearing the worse, a search was made of the river bank and the river, with the help of the Lake Warden and his boat. Nothing was found, but after about two hours the owners turned up. They had been for a stroll up Loughrigg. They were a little bewildered by the fuss, until we discovered that they were employees of El Al, and compared the incident with finding an abandoned suitcase at an airport.

While attending the previous incident, the team was alerted to almost identical incident on Robin Lane, so we sorted this one out while we were there.

This Dutch woman slipped off a stile and hit her head. An Ambulance was called initially, but were unable to evacuate the woman, so we did it.

As previous. Same scenario, different place.

An elderly Woman slipped and fractured her ankle. We administered the usual TLC.

Asked to investigate flashing lights. The lights we found appeared to be able to look after themselves, so we went to bed.

A 60-year-old woman slipped and fractured her ankle.

An hour and a half spent investigating reports of flashing lights. We found nothing, so went home to bed.

A 15-year-old girl sustained a suspected lower leg fracture when she slipped on a steep, rough footpath.

Asked to assist Police in the search for a man who had left a series of suicide notes in the vicinity of Garburn Pass. The search was called off when he made contact with his family from somewhere in London.

A 58-year-old woman slipped and fractured her ankle.

Back to Grasmere, this time to treat and evacuate a 47-year-old woman with a suspected ankle fracture.

Asked by the Police to locate six missing D of E students, reported overdue between Patterdale and Grasmere. This we did.

Three women were reported as overdue on a walk over Crinkle Crags. With the help of Kendal MRT the three were located on Long Top. All were hypothermic, one severely. She was stretchered off, and the other two escorted off, on foot. Conditions were foul, with personnel being blown off their feet on several occasions.

A family group split up to go on separate walks. When two of them failed to make their rendezvous the alarm was raised. We located the missing two and reunited them. We then left, so they could review the domestic communication situation.

This 43-year-old woman slipped off a stile and suffered head and neck injuries.

A 52-year-old man slipped and "bent his leg double". He was unable to walk, so we carried him.

This woman slipped in poor footwear and sustained leg and head injuries.

Requested to search the Fairfield area by Patterdale MRT after they had received a mobile phone call from a group of five who were lost. Eventually located on Fairfield summit and escorted down.

It's possible that poor footwear caused this woman to slip and fracture her Tibia and Fibula.

This man had fractured his ankle at 10pm the previous day, having become lost in darkness. He had been reported missing by his wife but she didn't know where in the Lakes he was walking. After the accident his friend keyed their location into a GPS, but dropped it and smashed it on the way down. With the help of Coniston and Kendal MRTs he was located, treated and removed to a place of safety.

We were requested to assist Kendal MRT with the evacuation of a climber who had been hit by rock fall dislodged by his leader. The evacuation was through very thick and scratchy woods.

Two climbers were reported overdue after climbing on Gimmer Crag. A small number of Team members went up to the crag base and found them huddled together, having been caught out with no torch. They were escorted down.

Four young men became benighted on the descent of the Band. A couple of them were suffering from mild hypothermia, due to becoming wet, in inadequate clothing. We assisted them off the hill.

This 59-year-old man slipped and fractured his lower leg.

This 50-year-old woman slipped and sustained a fracture/dislocation of her ankle.

Heavy rain and floods were causing traffic chaos when a landslide blocked the main road on the side of Thirlmere. Cars were reported as buried and possibly people trapped. We spent a couple of hours, up to the nether regions in cold water, assisting the Police in checking cars for people and then clearing cars to one side to allow bulldozers through to clear the debri away, and reopen the road.

Park Ranger and Team member, Mark Eccles radioed for assistance after an elderly man suffered a suspected heart attack.

A 15-year-old girl slipped off the path and fell into the ghyll. She was reported as suffering from hypothermia. We were amazed at the speed of her recovery once she had been carried down the hill.

We were assisted by Kendal MRT in the evacuation of this middle aged man, who had slipped and fractured his lower leg.

We just love these late night excursions into the mountains. They are good for the soul. Two young men had phoned home to tell their Mother that they had become benighted, but were O.K and would make their way down at first light. She wasn't prepared to wait this long and phoned the Police. This was a joint operation with Keswick MRT.

As a student at one of Britains esteemed Red Brick Universities, we were forced to question the judgement of this 20-year-old woman, when she went for a 'stroll' and ended up cragfast in an ice filled gully above Easedale Tarn. She can consider herself lucky that her cries for help were heard by two passing walkers, who raised the alarm. It is unlikely she would have survive the night in the sub zero conditions.

A 10-year-old boy sustained spinal injuries in a sledging accident. When we got there the boy was at the roadside and only needed the services of an Ambulance.

A 73-year-old in open toed sandals slipped and fractured her ankle. Due to simultaneous commitments Kendal MRT popped along to help us with this one.

A 14-year-old boy was assisted down the fell after sustaining a minor leg injury.

A young man sustained a serious leg fracture when he hit a wall while sledging in the dark. The Ambulance crew were unable to reach him because of the snow and ice.

During the previous incident we were alerted to another incident at Grasmere where a woman had broken her lower leg. Fortunately we could drive, off road, to her and she was taken to her group's minibus for onward transport to hospital.

A Team member out on the fells came across a man who had collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack. He summoned assistance from the Team and with the help of a helicopter from RAF Boulmer the body was recovered.

A 50 year old man was reported overdue by his friends after a walk. He was reported as suffering from an "illness". A search was organised, but the man turned up safe and well as Team members were being dispatched.

A helicopter on a social visit to Ambleside was requested to attend an incident, along with a handful of Team members, at Lingmell End, to assist Kendal MRT with a man with a bad leg fracture.

Snow and ice on the roads meant that the Ambulance was unable to take a 78 year old man, seriously ill, to hospital.

Two brothers, one 23 and one 14, were crossing frozen snow on the Climbers Traverse below Bowfell summit when the young one became "frozen" by his situation. His brother told him to stay put while he went for help, and promptly slipped and slid 120 feet, coming to rest with severe leg lacerations and multiple cuts and bruises. He was found on the Rossett Ghyll path by walkers, who raised the alarm. After treatment at the scene he was helicoptered to hospital, and his brother was retrieved from the Climbers Traverse and dropped off in the valley. Their equipment and planning was totally inadequate for the conditions.

Five students from Bradford decided that a trip to the Lakes would be a good idea after a hard night on the town. They arrived in the area mid afternoon. They wanted to go for a walk up Coniston Old Man but couldn't find it! (Coniston MRT- you don't know how lucky you were). They did manage to find the path up to Stickle Tarn and get about halfway up before becoming cragfast. It was 8p.m. when they set off. They had one torch and no decent clothing. It took them two hours to cover a distance that most people could cover in under half an hour. Two managed to make their way off and raise the alarm. We located them quickly, suffering from apathy. The lecture we gave them was wasted, and they went home. We can only hope that they don't find Langdale next time!

Four trips were made to the summit of Kirkstone to retrieve seventeen people stranded by heavy snow. Many had ignored "Road Closed" signs and carried on when conditions were clearly not suitable.

A local woman reported hearing whistles. We started a search in the area, in cold, snowy conditions. Nothing was found. We decided it was probably a farmer sorting his sheep out, or kids enjoying the snow.

A 54 year old woman put her foot down a hole and fractured her ankle in six places. Her initial location was given by a grid reference, the wrong way round, and described as "by a wall". I am informed that there are only 50,000 miles of walls in the Lakes, so this information really helped us pin-point the location.

A 49 year old woman slipped and fractured her ankle.

This man was reported missing by his wife after a "domestic" at Brockhole Visitor Centre. He had stormed off and had a known heart condition. We looked around the obvious places but could find no sign. Further questioning suggested that he may have caught a train home, so we handed the problem back to the Police and went home.

A 50 year old man slipped and sustained injuries to his kneecap.

This 64 year old man was blown over by gale force winds and fractured his ankle. He was splinted at the scene and evacuated to an ambulance.

A young man reported a group of four, four days overdue. We interviewed him about the four, but information he had was patchy. We started looking for them, but became suspicious of this man, and his story. We eventually realised that he had perpetrated a hoax, and a very elaborate one at that. He was arrested by the Police and we went home. He was subsequently fined and ordered to pay compensation.

A party of three in their thirties phoned from "Three Tarns" to say they were lost in the mist and dark, and could we guide them off. This always difficult to do since if their exact location is not known then we can't know for sure where we're sending them, and having no torch didn't help. We sent a party up to locate them. On the phone one of them revealed that he had a "personal locator beacon", a device for locating crashed aircrews at sea. We discussed the matter with the RAF and they said they could pin-point it if a helicopter could fly low over it a couple of times. This worked, and the three were picked up and flown back to Ambleside. Their actual location was on the other side of Crinkle Crag, 2 miles from were they thought they where! Their equipment was non-existent. They had no waterproofs, food, lights or map, but had managed to pack the mobile phone and personal locator beacon. Not what we'd call "getting your priorities right." If the weather had closed in and the helicopter had not been able to fly over, all three probably would have died before we had found them. Modern technology is all well and good, but in the hands of an idiot, could be potentially lethal. None of these pieces of equipment keep you warm, give you energy, or show the way home; only common sense and planning will do this.

A Duke of Edinburgh gold expedition was reported overdue at their Keswick rendezvous, from Patterdale. A number of Team members checked descent routes to Grasmere, but the search was called off when they turned up outside Keswick.

This man slipped and fractured his ankle. His friends did some first aid and started to carry him down. We arrived a bit later and finished the job.

A 45 year old woman slipped and fractured her ankle. We did the usual sort of stuff and carried her down. The good thing about the people we meet is that they've not heard our collection of not very amusing jokes, and they're fastened down and at our mercy.

A 39 year old man slipped and sustained head and arm injuries. He rapidly became Hypothermic. He was treated at the scene and then carried to Stake Pass, where after several attempts to get in, a Helicopter picked him up and flew him to a Newcastle hospital.

A 68 year old American woman slipped on steep fellside and sustained a leg fracture.

A man walking with a party under instruction collapsed, with severe chest pains. The instructor, also a Team Member alerted our Base with an MR radio. The Team was called out and a helicopter requested. The man was taken to Furness General Hospital.

Two elderly women were walking when one slipped and pulled the other down with her. Both were treated for injuries, one for cuts and grazes and one for a fracture to the arm. One was stretchered off the fell, the other was walked off.

This incident was reported as requiring an Ambulance for leg injuries. The man was actually three miles up the fellside and suffering from debilitating chest pains. He was treated for his pain by Team members then airlifted to Furness General Hospital by a Royal Navy Helicopter. He was actually suffering from torn intercostal muscles, sustained several days earlier, but requiring heavy exertion to bring on the problem.

This lady slipped on the descent from Pike How and fractured her ankle. She was treated in the usual manner and carried off. She was able to remark on what an exciting ride down it was. You'd have to pay a fortune to get such a thrilling ride in a fairground, but we do it for free.

A foreign student on a led walk from Ambleside to Grasmere slipped and fractured his ankle on steep ground on the lake shore. He was treated and evacuated to an ambulance.

We were asked by Kendal Team to search Troutbeck and our side of Garburn Pass after a man was reported overdue. He was last seen at 4pm. He eventually turned up at his holiday cottage at 22.15. He was going to get some advice on the merits of setting off earlier or taking a torch, but we left him to fend off his wife and mother-in-law instead.

A man collapsed, probably from an epileptic fit. We were given the wrong location by the informant, and the casualty was located only after a brief search, and our ambulance being flagged down by a second person. The man was treated and taken to Ambleside Health Centre, and then on to Westmorland General Hospital.

A man collapsed during the descent from an overnight camp in the hills. An ambulance was called, but he was too far up for them to evacuate. We arrived and assisted the ambulance with the administration of I.V. fluids and oxygen and then evacuated him to the ambulance. During all this he was completely incoherent and semi-conscious, only coming round briefly to inform us that he was a year younger than his companion informed us when we were filling in our casualty information card. He spent three days in Intensive Care.

This 21 year old man was bivi-ing out with his mate with a few cans of beer on a last bender before going into the Army, when he slipped in his trainers and fractured his ankle. Due to alcohol consumed the informant was unable to remember the location of his mate. "He was by a tree"??!! That narrowed it down a bit ! We eventually found him, by which time cold was numbing him in place of the alcohol. We did the business with his leg and carried him down.

This lady slipped on a steep path. An ambulance was called first, but was unable to evacuate her, so we were called.

A 14 year old girl slipped while walking with a school party and injured her ankle. The leader was all fired up to evacuate the girl using a climbing rope and the rest of the party, but common sense prevailed and he called us instead. There's a time and place for self help and a group of hot, tired 13 year olds is neither. It's much easier to evacuate one casualty from the fell than 5 or 6, even if they are a bit lower down.

A 47 year old man collapsed, probably from a heart attack. Attempts to revive him failed and unfortunately he died. We evacuated his body to the road and a waiting ambulance.

A 58 year old woman collapsed while walking with her son and husband. They carried her down a good part of the way and then sent for help. She was suffering from heat induced exhaustion, and her companions had handled the situation well, even realising at one point that she was becoming cold, and taking steps to re-warm her. She was taken to Ambleside Health Centre for a once over from a doctor.

A man slipped and supposedly sustained serious leg injuries. Because of the distance and the "serious" injuries we requested a helicopter to assist. One arrived on scene at the same time as the first of our team members and the man walked to the helicopter, his injuries maybe not as bad as we had been led to believe.

A 17 year old male slipped and fractured his ankle. Again the team was called, but the young man's friends carried him down and we arrived in the car park as they did, leaving us with only the splinting to do.

A 35 year old competitor fell and hit his head. The team was called and dispatched a vehicle to the scene, but the man made his own way down and was treated at the finish.

A17 year old mountain biker was reported two and a half hours overdue on a 17 mile route into the high fells. A search was started and he was located making his way down after being delayed in thick mist.

A mobile phone call reported two injured people, following a fall. The phone was then switched off and we were not able to make any further contact or get any more information. We set off to try and locate the injured people, tracking them down to the back of an ambulance. The ambulance crew had received a call from a different source and been given sufficient information to locate the casualties, who were walking near the road.

This woman slipped and fractured her ankle while descending a steep footpath.

A number of reports of shouts for help and flashing lights were heard and seen in this area. We searched across some very rough ground and found nothing. Who ever had been there had either sorted themselves out, or had never actually been in too much trouble. Still, it kept us occupied for a couple of hours.

An 11 year old boy slipped and tumbled 80ft. down a steep hillside, sustaining serious cuts, bruises and leg injuries. His condition was stabilised and he was taken to hospital in Kendal.

This man slipped while descending Middlefell Gulley, and fell about 20ft. sustaining rib and spinal injuries. He was immobilised in a full body splint and cervical collar and evacuated from the gully to hospital. We were assisted by members of Kendal MRT.

This young man collapsed, probably due to dehydration, and was in a very confused state. The Ambulance attended first but was unable to evacuate the man, so they called us to help. The local farmer very generously took some of our kit up in his Quad, trailer, saving us time and effort.

A 34 year old woman with a history of mental problems "took off" over the summit of Loughrigg, without warning, leaving her 75 year old mother behind. A search was organised. She was located back at her hotel in Ambleside.

Three men strayed off the path on the ascent of Red Screes and became cragfast at the bottom of Kilnshaw Chimney. They raised the alarm by shouting for help. We escorted them off.

A man who had been evicted from the pub, went on to the fells in a drunken state. He found his way to a precarious spot on Upper Scout Crag and collapsed, unconscious and fitting. He was evacuated from the fell and taken to Kendal Hospital.

These three men became lost between Grasmere and Langdale, so phoned 999 on a mobile phone and asked for guidance off the fells. This we gave, but they seemed unable to follow instructions and kept going in the wrong direction. A search was made involving 40 people and 12 SARDA dogs. They were eventually located descending behind the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. Sometimes we're just left to wonder.

This man had become separated from his friend at 11.45 in thick mist and had not arrived back at their rendesvous in Ambleside. We searched the area and he was located in Ambleside after coming off the hill in Patterdale and making his way back by road.

This woman slipped and fractured her ankle while descending a steep footpath.

This man fell and sustained serious head and back injuries. When we arrived at the reported scene we found nothing. A bit of detective work located them a bit lower down, the injured man being "walked" down by his friends. Although well intentioned, this is not a very safe method of evacuating a barely conscious man with unknown neck and back injuries.

This woman slipped near the summit of Dollywagon Pike and badly fractured her collar bone. She was treated at the scene and airlifted to Furness Hospital by RAF Boulmer.

A 45 year old man slipped while walking and badly fractured his ankle.

A 23 year old woman slipped and sustained a possible fractured ankle. She was splinted and carried off the Fell.

A 17 year old girl, part of a Duke of Edinburgh Gold training expedition from Berkshire, was reported as unconscious, near the summit of Hart Crag. Ourselves, RAF teeming MRT, and a helicopter rushed to the scene to find nothing wrong with anyone. It is highly unlikely that there ever was anything wrong with anyone. The supervisors didn't seem unduly bothered that we had wasted our time, money, and resources, to be the victims of a practical joke! It does not help the case for free Mountain Rescue and no charge for helicopters when this sort of thing happens. It also does the D of E scheme no end of harm when a bunch of badly organised and supervised clowns like this are on the loose! Returned to bed 4am. Started work 7.15am.

A 15 year old boy had collapsed, exhausted on day one of his D. of E. Gold award. Although the group appeared to be ill-prepared and badly equipped they handled the problem very well. The three who went for help gave accurate information and the one who remained behind with the casualty had him well rugged up against the cold and had kept him in excellent spirits. He was declared a star by Team members at the scene for his handling of the situation.

Four separate reports of flashing lights in the vicinity of Kirkstone quarry led us to believe that something was amiss. A group was dispatched to investigate and a passing helicopter dropped in for a look. The helicopter crew, using their night vision goggles spotted the lights and went to investigate. They found two men, trying to hide, in combat gear and with guns. They left them to it and reported the matter to the police. The Team members sent to investigate were greatly relieved not to have got there first.

These two men were reported as overdue at their B&B in Wasdale. They were experienced and well equipped and turned up as a search was being organised. They had spent the night on the fells and walked off as it became light.

At last something different! Not even in our area! A young man collapsed with severe abdominal pain and hypothermia. Because it was a Grasmere phone number reporting this incident it went through to Kendal Police Control, who paged us. It is actually in Keswick MRT's area. We attended, and found the other classic case we come up against: the "child crushing rucsac". We removed the rucsac and retrieved the boy and took him to hospital. There endeth another D. of E. Gold Expedition.

Male, middling footwear, rest as above.

But so soon! This time a woman, in good footwear, but the rest of the story is the same.

Male, dodgy footwear, wet ground, slip, crack, floppy foot, morphine, kind words, swear words, splint, stretcher, cruel jokes, ambulance, hospital, you've heard the story before, you'll hear it again.

This 49 year old woman slipped and sustained a possible ankle fracture. She was splinted and evacuated to hospital. They're fickle things, ankles you know. If they're so fragile, why stick them out there at the end of your leg? All exposed to the elements and rough ground and dodgy foot-wear decisions. They'd be far better tucked inside a pair of slippers, next to the dog, in front of the fire where they're safe from harm. Except for athletes foot, warts, verrucas, ingrown toenails, gout, gangrene...

Two Team members came across a man with a suspected broken ankle whilst working for the National Trust in Mickleden. They splinted his leg with equipment from our Langdale Base and transported him to a car for the journey to hospital.

Requested to assist Patterdale MRT with the evacuation of a 13 year old boy from the summit of Hart Crag, into the Rydal Valley. Taken to Ambleside Health Centre and then to Westmorland General Hospital.

A coach tried to get up Kirkstone Pass and became stuck near the summit in deep, fresh snow. The 28 elderly passengers on board started to walk down, but were picked up by Team vehicles and ferried to Hayes Garden Centre, for tea and biscuits to await a new coach. The coach that was stuck was recovered the next day.

Two Landrovers went to assist an ambulance stuck in snow with a sick young boy on board. They towed it out of the snow and escorted it back to the road.

This 71 year old woman slipped on a steep fellside and sustained a serious ankle fracture. She was treated at the scene and stretchered to a waiting ambulance.

This man slipped and fell 200ft. and landed on his head causing serious injury. He was treated on scene and evacuated to hospital at Barrow by RAF Boulmer. He had an ice axe, but it was attached to his rucsac, where it doesn't work anywhere near as well. The injuries were to his head and neck.

At 3pm this 40 year old woman slipped and fractured her ankle. Her husband had to descend to Cockley Beck with two children to raise the alarm. In places, he had to lower them down icy stretches on a rope. A 16 year old girl remained with the woman. This descent took 6 hours due to the conditions and the lack of equipment. The Team then took a couple of hours to locate the woman, finding her at around midnight. She was treated for her ankle and both woman and daughter were treated for hypothermia. Kendal and Furness MRTs helped out on this epic. The evacuation took 7 hours. A helicopter called to assist had to spend the night at the summit of Kirkstone, forced down by the foul weather, and was only able to assist the following morning.

A small search was organised when this 12 year old girl ran off from her parents following a "disagreement". She was located after one and a half hours, unharmed.

Imagine our delight to be attending a "Mountain Rescue" again after our recent identity crisis. I suspect this 52 year old woman was less pleased when she slipped and broke her ankle.

Requested to help the Police with the retrieval of a man who had ignored "ROAD CLOSED DUE TO ICE" warning at the bottom of Wrynose Pass and had subsequently got himself stuck near the top when his 4WD had slipped off the road. We were making our way up, when a message to the effect that he had been picked up on the other side by Police, was received. We went home again leaving the Police to explain the error of his ways.

Another 14 hours of digging and driving through the snow. Finally we all went home after 122 hours of round-the-clock work, during which time we attended 42 emergencies.

Still a lot of snow around, but things are starting to return to normal. 4 incidents were dealt with.

5 more incidents dealt with. Beginning to wonder about a name change.

Another 24 hours. Main roads now passable, but back streets still blocked. 9 more emergencies sorted.

Another 24 hours of digging ambulances in and out of housing estates. 14 emergencies dealt with and a lot of snow shifted.

It snowed. 2ft. of the stuff. Everything stopped moving and all that could be heard was the sound of sledges whooshing down hillsides and shovels scraping in vain to clear a way. We assisted Ambulance and doctors with 8 emergencies in a 12 hour period.

A man slipped over a small crag and fractured his tibia and fibula when he landed. We administered pain relief and splinted his leg. He was flown to Whitehaven by a helicopter from RAF Boulmer that was in the area.

A 28 year old manslipped trying to climb the Bad Step and fell 30ft. Team members were airlifted to the scene by RAF Boulmer where they found him with fractures to his wrist and ankle and injuries to his back. He was also hypothermic. His condition was stabilised and he was airlifted to hospital. He was carrying crampons, but they only work when they are on your boots - they don't work in your rucsac.

A 35 year old man had started up Jack's Rake, alone, after his friends had, wisely, declined his invitation to go with him. After a short distance he tried to climb down again, but was unable to, because of the ice. He continued up, and slipped, dislocating his kneecap, and injuring his back. Mobile phone calls from the area gave us the impression that he was only just able to hang on. Members of RAF Leeming MRT were in the area and they were able to get to him before us, and stabilise him. He was then airlifted to hospital by RAF Boulmer. This man had no ice axe or crampons and was lucky not to have been killed.

A car had spun off the road on Dunmail Raise. Four people were injured. The Ambulance was unable to get up the hill because of the snow, so we went instead. The injured people were recovered from the vehicle and transferred to an ambulance at the bottom of the hill. If you're not planning to spend Christmas in hospital, this could be cutting things a bit fine.

We were requested to take a seriously ill man to hospital, when the village was cut off by snow.

We were requested to assist the police to recover the body of 30 year old woman that had been found in the beck. This we did. She had been missing for 20 hours.

A 59 year old man slipped a fractured his lower leg. He was splinted and evacuated to hospital in the Team's Ambulance.

Another man was reported overdue. We decided that they were probably together. This proved to be the case when they were located unhurt at 7.45 a.m next day. The weather conditions were playing up that night. Some hill parties were experiencing calm conditions and others were experiencing gales and snow, only a few miles apart.

A 50 year old man was reported missing in the Bowfell area. He had left only vague plans with a friend, so we had to search a large area, in worsening weather. We were assisted by an RAF helicopter from Boulmer and MRT's from RAF Leeming, Kendal, Keswick, Millom and Furness. We knew of a possible sighting of him at around 3p.m. that afternoon, but were confused by the fact that this person had not been alone. We worked it out at 2 a.m. when...

A 14 year old boy collapsed with stomach pains. He was retrieved in our V.W. Ambulance and taken to hospital with suspected appendicitis.

A couple had been climbing and had completed their route, when it went too dark to find their way down (without torches). They shouted for help for over 3 hours before anyone heard them. We went and found them and walked them down. They were unhurt. This type of incident seems to be popular this year. Not with us I might add.

We heard a group of people shout for assistance. They were struggling down from Helm Crag with no lights. A number of Team members detached themselves from no. 71, and went to help. Then we went home.

A 78 year old man slipped, in smooth soled shoes, and tumbled down the fellside, sustaining multiple severe lacerations to his arm, hand and leg. We sorted him out and were stretchering him down with the help of Kendal MRT, when...

A 29 year old woman slipped, dislocating her ankle and lacerating her knee. The Team stabilised her condition and she was evacuated to hospital by helicopter. We had nearly finished when...

A local farmer saw a paraglider land heavily, on rough ground, and then not move for some time. He was naturally concerned. He informed us and we went to check it out. We located the man in question, who had made his way to the roadside, with only minor injuries. He was delayed on the hill because he was trying to untangle his paraglider and fly down, when it went dark.