Incident Reports 1976

Two men, both aged 26 years, from Lancaster and Morecambe were reported missing by the parents of one of them. They had been walking from Langdale to Eskdale. They had phoned home from Brotherilkeld telephone base at 7.00 p.m. on 29.12.76 and said they would be late home having first to go back to Langdale for their car. Found safe and well at a Wasdale Hotel at 1.00 p.m. on 30.12.76.

Footnote: These two men had been safe and inside the Wasdale Hostel since 1.30 a.m. on the 30.12.76 but had not seen fit to tell anybody.

A 41 year old woman from Formby, Liverpool slipped and fell about 20ft. down the fellside near Thorn Crag, Langdale, sustaining a serious compound fracture of the humerus and head injuries. The team carried her down on a stretcher and then by police escorted ambulance to Lancaster Hospital.
Footnote: The helicopter was requested as there was a danger of the woman losing her arm, but this was diverted to Keswick where three climbers had fallen on Blencathra.

A 26 year old man from Durham was reported missing on the fells between Teesdale and Appleby. The team assisted all Lakeland teams plus North East Counties teams and RAF Boulmer. The man was found unharmed in the Teesdale area.
Footnote: The rest of the party including schoolchildren turned back onwalk. The above mentioned did not and was lost on the fells.

Three youths from Kirkham, Lanes, became detached from a walking party at Sprinkling Tarn due to low mist. The rest of the party, three adults and five youths, made their way to Langdale, where they raised the alarm. The team searched all night with dogs in appalling weather conditions. Youths found by the team at 9.30 a.m. next day at Higher Esk, Eskdale suffering from mild exposure after spending the night on the fells. Search panel involved and RAF Boulmer.

A 13 year old schoolboy from Middlesbrough was taken ill at Hanging Knotts — Rossett Ghyll area, Langdale.
The team carried him down on a stretcher. Team doctor attended, was confined to bed at an Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Langdale.
Footnote: The boy had a severe throat infection plus high temperature.

A 13 year old schoolboy from Stockport, who was under instruction, fell 60 ft. on Lower Scout Crag, Langdale. He sustained head and spinal injuries. The team carried him down on a stretcher and then to Hospital in Kendal.

Footnote: The 'Whillans' harness, which the boy had on, came undone, was not fitted correctly.

A 43 year old woman from Rotherham was hit by a large stone while descending Pike O Stickle screes, Langdale. She sustained serious head and shoulder injuries. Team carried her down the fellside on a stretcher and then to Hospital at Kendal.
Footnote: None of the M.L.C. Party could explain how the lady was hit on the head by the dislodged rock.

A 52 year old woman from Birmingham slipped on ice covered ground on Lingmoor, Langdale. She sustained a compound fracture of the lower leg. The team carried her down the fellside to an ambulance and then to Hospital in Kendal.
Footnote: We would have reached the injured lady much quicker and easier if we had been given the proper location.

A 70 year old Stockport woman slipped and fell on wet fellside on Wansfell, Ambleside and sustained a fracture of the left leg. Team carried her down the fell and then by Ambulance to Kendal Hospital.
Footnote: Once again, the fellside in wet and very dry weather can be just as dangerous as snow and ice.

A 15 year old schoolboy from Southport slipped and fell. He sustained slight head injuries (which affected his balance) in Mill Ghyll, Langdale. The team carried him down on a stretcher and then to Kendal Hospital. Footnote: Genuine accident. Well led party.

A 19 year old man from Liverpool was reported missing by friends on a walk from Patterdale to Grasmere via Grizedale Tarn. After a search by the team using search dogs, the man was found in Grasmere safe and well.
Footnote: The man was in a party of 6 when they set out from Patterdale, five turned back after bad weather had forced them to. The lone walker went on, but spent 10 hours on the fell.

A 20 year old man from Glossop fell 70 ft. whilst leading a pitch on Pavey Ark, Langdale. He fell into Easy Gulley sustaining head and spinal injuries.The team lowered him down on a stretcher then carried to Stickle Tarn where RAF Boulmer flew him to Whitehaven Hospital.

Footnote: A hand hold gave way and there were no runners on, he also elected not to wear a helmet. From report and his friends he was a competent climber.

A 40 year old woman from East Sussex slipped and fell on Red Screes, Kirkstone sustaining a fractured left ankle. The team conveyed her down on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Kendal Hospital.
Footnote: Bad footwear was a possible cause of this accident, the ladvt wore plimsoles with very smooth soles. The fellside also was bone hard due to the hot weather.

A 45 year old man from Hastings slipped and fell 20 ft. down Easy Gulley, Pavey Ark, Langdale. He sustained a fractured neck of femur. Team carried him out of gulley after lowering the stretcher by ropes for 400 ft. and then down the fellside to an ambulance and then to hospital in Kendal.
Footnote: Easy gulley is anything but, these days. There are many large rocks awaiting to roll down the gulley on some unsuspecting climber or walker.

A 16 year old youth from London slipped and fell 60 ft. down the fellside above Limefitt Caravan Park, Troutbeck, Windermere. He sustained head injuries. The team carried him down the fell on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Lancaster Hospital.
Footnote: The youth had smooth soled baseball shoes on, and the steep fellside was like glass hence the accident.

A 19 year old youth from Birmingham collapsed with exhaustion on the summit of Crinkle Crags, Langdale. Doctor and team members attended at the scene. RAF Boulmer was in the area at the time and flew the boy from Crinkle Crags to Langdale, where he recovered and was allowed to go home.
Footnote: The youth wanted to give up earlier, but was told to carry on.

A 15 year old schoolgirl from Southport collapsed due to exhaustion at Walthwaite Ghyll, Silver Howe, Chapel Stile. Doctor attended at the scene. Girl recovered and was escorted down the fell by team members.
Footnote: The weather was very hot indeed making the grass slopes and paths very slippery.

A 36 year old Royal Marine Sergeant from Arbroath, Scotland slipped and fell 100 ft. on Gimmer Crag, Langdale. He sustained fractured ribs, pelvis and internal injuries. Team carried him out of the gulley on a stretcher and 200 yards down the slope to a flat piece of ground where a helicopter from RAF Boulmer picked him up and flew to Whitehaven Hospital.
Footnote: The Army was advised by team doctor on hearing of the accident not to do a self rescue without the proper medical equipment — advice was taken.

A 14 year old schoolboy from Haywards Heath sustained serious head, face and internal injuries when under climbing instruction. It appeared a large rock hit the boy on the head. The team sent every piece of medical equipment up to the accident. The boy was carried by stretcher to Tarn Crag where RAF Boulmer picked the boy and team doctor up. Flown to Carlisle Hospital.
Footnote: This is where the teams medical equipment proved its worth. The resucitation equipment proved to be a sound investment.

A 12 year old schoolgirl from Darwen, Lanes, slipped on wet grass and fractured her leg and ankle at Easedale Tarn, Grasmere. The team carried her down the fell on a stretcher and then by sitting car to Hospital in Kendal.
Footnote: Half way down the fellside we had another call to a serious accident at Pavey Ark. Three quarters of the team left to deal with the incident.

A 25 year old man from Hornchurch slipped on wet rock and grass fracturing his left ankle at Erring Crag, The Band, Langdale. The team carried him down the fell on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Kendal Hospital.
Footnote: A good equipped and well led party.

Two men aged 34 years and 47 years from Sheffield and Keighly respectively, collapsed with exhaustion and exposure at the summit of Bowfell, Langdale. Both men were given 'Reviva' treatment (hot air). The team carried one on a stretcher and the other under his "own steam" to Angle Tarn, where a helicopter from RAF Boulmer took them both to Keswick Hospital.

A 16 year old schoolgirl from Southport had a recurrence of an old knee injury. Collapsed with pain near Harrison Stickle, Langdale. Team carried her down on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Lancaster Hospital.
Footnote: Footwear bad (smoothed sole shoes). She had a history of a bad knee, the long walk could have aggravated injury. The grass on fellside was slippery due to dry weather.

'A 27 year old man from Preston left the Jack's Rake path on Pavey Ark, Langdale by mistake and found himself going up a loose stone gulley, he pulled a large stone on himself and fractured his right leg/ankle. The team roped the stretcher and it was taken to the top of Pavey Ark. He was carried down the fell and then to hospital by ambulance to Kendal.
Footnote: Jack's Rake is becoming more loose very year, and at the time of this rescue it was in a dangerous condition.

A 68 year old woman of York slipped on dry grass slope at Dow Bank, Silver Howe, Chapel Stile and fractured her right ankle. She was carried on a stretcher down the fellside, taken to the Ambleside doctor and then by sitting car to Hospital at Lancaster.
Footnote: The grass slopes were very slippy indeed, and the boots worn had only a slight tread.

A 22 year old man of Harrow collapsed while walking at Lilley Tarn, Loughrigg, Ambleside. Team searched the area, but could not find the victim at Lilley Tarn. Found later near the bottom of a track leading off Loughrigg. Treated by doctor, possible epileptic fit. Allowed home. Footnote: There were two rescues at the same time.

A 21 year old man from Bootle collapsed due to exhaustion and possible epileptic fit whilst walking near the summit of Harrison Stickle, Langdale.

He was carried down on a stretcher after being seen by team doctor at the scene. Allowed to go home after being carried down.
Footnote: Assisted in the rescue by RAF Stafford. There seems a little mystery about this rescue — our team was called after a delay.

A 16 year old youth from Cromer fell about 30 ft. while leading the first pitch on Upper Scout Crag, Langdale. He received head and leg injuries and was conveyed down the fell on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Kendal Hospital.
Footnote: The rock was "greasy" but the youth elected to wear P.A.'s.

A 22 year old man and a 16 year old youth from Whitef ield, Nr. Bury collapsed with exposure at Rossett Ghyll, Langdale. Both were re-warmed at the scene and then carried down the fell on a stretcher, then to Kendal Hospital by ambulance. The weather was gale force winds, heavy rain, low mist, swollen rivers and becks. Very cold.
Footnote: Both had very poor clothing. Hush puppy type shoes, smooth soles. The 16 year old boy had fallen into the beck twice. Never been on the fells before.

A 52 year old woman from Fleetwood slipped and fell on wet ground near Low Pike, Ambleside. She fractured her right ankle. Carried down on a stretcher and then by ambulance to Kendal Hospital.
Footnote: The fellside was very wet making ground conditions very slippery indeed. Well led party.

A 28 year old man from Australia was reported missing after he had been rock climbing with friends on Pavey Ark, Langdale. The team was called out, and after a search found him at the bottom of Pavey Ark waiting for his friends.
Footnote: The rest of the team was assisting Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team at the time of recue no. 9.

The team went to assist the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team when a 43 year old man from Leicester collapsed and died at the head of Deepdale in the Greenhowe area.

A 21 year old man from London was walking with a party from Leeds University when he became exhausted and suffered exposure at Upper Mosedale.

A 24 year old woman from Newcastle upon Tyne slipped and fell 300ft. while climbing a snow gulley on Hanging Knotts, Bowfell.

A search was made of the Langdale Pikes when two medical students from Cardiff University failed to report to friends at Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, Langdale.

A 20 year old man from London fell about 100 ft. while leading a pitch on Raven Crag, Langdale.

A 61 year old woman from Preston slipped and fell on ice covered path near Loughrigg Terrace, Rydal — possible fractured ankle.

A 16 year old youth from Kendal was carried down by stretcher after collapsing at Grisedale tarn, Grasmere.

The search panel called all teams in Lakeland to search for two teenage boys from the Barrow-in-Furness area, who were missing on a walk from Eskdale to Borrowdale.