Grasmere

On a day of persistent severe electrical storms, reports that a party of four people had been hit by lightning reached the Team. Upon the Team's arrival it was found that one person had died and the others were suffering from minor injuries/burns. A RAF Helicopter assisted with the evacuation.

A 49 year old woman slipped on wet grass and sustained a broken lower leg. She was carried off the hill and transported to the Team's Base by Team ambulance and transferred to county ambulance.

A 14 year old school boy from Wellingborough collapsed, due to exposure/exhaustion near Green-Up Edge. The team had to search for this boy before carrying him three miles on a stretcher to Grasmere. and then by ambulance to hospital in Kendal. Footnote: The grid-reference given to the team by the informants was 1 mile out. It was then that a large area had to be searched before the group was finally located. Weather conditions: Cold, wet, windy, darkness. Snow and ice underfoot, with wet patches.

A 45 year old man from Chorley slipped and fell on wet grass at Blind Tarn Moss, Grasmere. He sustained a fractured ankle. The team carried him down the fell on a stretcher, and then by friend's car to hospital in Kendal. Footnote: Some team members had to divert from Call-out No. 35 on Gibson Knott to attend to this rescue. Weather conditions: Dull, rain at times, cold. Very wet underfoot.

A search was made of Gibson Knott, Grasmere, when a male fellwalker reported someone or something falling from Gibson Knott. Search called off when nothing was found. Footnote: The informant was definite that he saw something fall. False alarm with good intent. Weather conditions: Dull, rain at times, mist. Very wet underfoot.

A 57 year old female from Newcastle-under-Lyme slipped on a path at Tongue Gill, Grasmere. She sustained a fractured ankle. The team carried her down the fell on a stretcher, and then by ambulance to hospital in Kendal, Footnote: This lady had all the right equipment — a genuine accident Weather conditions: Overcast, dull, rain at times. Very wet underfoot

25 year old woman collapsed with severe stomach pains.

Two men set to walk from the ODG to Stickle Tarn and back and with almost impossibly bad navigation managed to get benighted at Angle Tarn. Team assisted by SARDA, RAF Leeming MRT and RAF Boulmer. They walked down in the morning. 'Words fail me' said the team leader.

30 year old man's car slipped on black ice and left the road down a steep slope. The man was thrown clear of the car and sustained serious multiple injuries.

65 year old woman slipped on a steep footpath with the usual result.

17 year old man, part of a D of E group, collapsed after an all night camp with a viral infection.

17 year old girl, part of a D of E group, suffered 'breathing problems'. In truth she was only tired and was walked off by the team.

64 year old woman slipped and fractured her leg.

77 year old man collapsed and died whilst walking.

10 year old girl slipped on fellside and badly lacerated her knee and face.

49 year old man slipped and fractured his leg near the summit. Team assisted by Kendal MRT.

52 year old woman collapsed and called for help which was heard by several people. The team with RAF Boulmer searched the area with negative results. The woman and her husband had walked off the fell but failed to inform the police or ourselves of this!

9 year old girl was hit on the head by a 'misguided' stone thrown by her father and, not surprisingly, received head injuries.

45 year old man slipped on a path and fractured his leg.

47 year old woman slipped on a path and sustained a compound fracture of her leg.

37 year old woman collapsed with exposure.

Transporting various sick and aged people during severe floods.

A 21 year old female from Bromsgrove, slipped off a path near Eagle Crag, Easedale, Grasmere. She sustained a severely cut knee, and was carried by the team on a stretcher, and then by sitting car to Kendal hospital. Footnote: This young lady had all the right equipment. Genuine accident. Weather conditions: Clear sunshine, dry. Wet patches underfoot.

A 12 year old school boy from Washington, Durham, collapsed with a virus infection at Tongue Gill, Grasmere. He was carried down the fell on a stretcher and then to hospital in Kendal by ambulance. Footnote: Yet another very good group who did everything right when faced with a serious problem on the fells. Weather conditions: Dull, dry, clear. Dry with wet patches underfoot.

A 14 year old school boy from London collapsed with chest pains at Grizedale Tarn, Grasmere. He was carried down on a stretcher and then taken by ambulance to Kendal hospital. Footnote: This young boy had a history of chest trouble. His friends had done everything right, making him comfortable and sending for help. A very praise¬worthy group, and a lesson from which some adults could learn. Weather conditions: Very wet, low mist, ground conditions — saturated

A 17 year old school boy from Westbury slipped near Grizedale Tarn, Grasmere, and sustained an injured femur plus foot injuries (see footnote). He was escorted down the fell by the team after electing to walk. Seen by team doctor and allowed to go home later. Footnote: This injured boy was made to walk down, unaccompanied, by two teachers. There is also a suspicion that he was exhausted, due to his rucksack being overweight, and his walking boots, which were good, were not his own and a poor fit, and he had no waterproof trousers. Weather conditions: Very wet, low mist, cold.

A 59 year old man from Leicester slipped on the fellside near Eagle Crag, Easedale, Grasmere, and sustained a fractured femur. He was carried on a stretcher down the fellside by the team, and then by ambulance to Lancaster hospital. Footnote: Once again, smooth soled boots could have been the cause of this accident. Weather conditions: Dull, fine, rather cold. Dry with wet patches underfoot.

A 60 year old woman slipped off a wooden footbridge at Penny Rock, Grasmere. She sustained a fractured femur and leg injuries. The team carried her on a stretcher and then by the team's landrover ambulance to Ambleside, where she was transferred to a public ambulance and taken to Lancaster hospital. Footnote: This lady was wearing town shoes and ordinary clothes where more robust items were called for even for this simple walk. Weather conditions: Clear, warm, dry — "boggy" and very wet underfoot.

A 53 year old woman from Birkenhead slipped on the wet fellside at Helm Crag, Grasmere. She sustained a fractured left ankle. The team carried her on a stretcher to her car, which was driven by her husband to hospital at Kendal. Footnote: This lady had thirty years experience of Fellwalking in the Lake District. Weather conditions: Dull, fine, cold wind - in places very wet underfoot.

A couple reported themselves in difficulty near Stickle Tarn, with mountain bikes, in fading light. The difficulty turned out to be that they weren't near Stickle Tarn, but nearer Gibson Knott.