Incident Reports (Advance)

A woman slipped and tumbled 25 ft down steep fellside. She sustained rib and spinal injuries and minor head injuries. She started to descend, but then collapsed. She was treated at the scene and then evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital.

A woman slipped and tumbled 25 ft down steep fellside. She sustained rib and spinal injuries and minor head injuries. She started to descend, but then collapsed. She was treated at the scene and then evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital.

A 63-year-old American woman slipped on steep fellside and sustained a fractured ankle. We treated her injuries and during the stretcher carry, discussed the difference between the English (MRT) and American sense of humour.

A 45-year-old local man fell 40 ft from the third pitch of this route. He sustained a pneumothorax, surgical emphysema, multiple broken ribs, a bruised heart and a flail chest segment( and a small cut to his leg!). He was treated on scene and evacuated by helicopter to Furness General Hospital. He was in a very serious condition and required paralysing and ventilating in intensive care for several days.

An elderly Belgian woman slipped and sustained a possible wrist fracture. First aid was given through an interpreter and she was taken to hospital in Kendal.

A 17-year-boy slipped and injured his ankle. The injury was minor and the boy seemed to be milking it for all it was worth. We do have a team member or two who are of the opinion that a good slap is an excellent cure for certain ailments. It may have been appropriate here, but there were too many witnesses. Came from just round the corner from my Mum's old house. It's a small world.

Three young people were on a final hike before an expedition to Kenya, and were being "shadowed" by two supervisors. One of the two females suffered a minor ankle injury. One of the supervisors left them to fetch a car to meet them, so they could descend by an easier route, but took 17 hours to reach Langdale! The group were eventually located by Wasdale MRT and were escorted in to Langdale. Sometimes you have to wonder who supervises the supervisors. A traditional "de-brief" followed at our base. Fortunately the Wasdale team didn't have to walk home.

Two suspected drug addicts went on a bender of methadone and hydrocodeine and were found after two days, lying in the sun, dehydrated and delirious. Their lifestyle had taken its toll and one had a heart condition and the other severe problems with their legs. Because of their conditions a helicopter was requested and it flew them to Furness General Hospital. This was possibly a failed suicide attempt.

A 20 year old American was reported as suffering from a heart condition after camping the night at Red Tarn. He was monitored and found to be tachicardic. This may have been a medical condition, or may have been caused by his hideously overweight rucsac.

A 55-year-old man could not get up the Bad Step and agreed to meet his friends on the summit by going round. Surprise, surprise he never turned up. His friends looked for him. We initially checked the roads, and were just about to scale up the search when he turned up in a taxi having gone down to Brotherikeld. He was unhurt, but £35 worse off.

This 76-year-old man collapsed and was pulseless and not breathing. A passing doctor administered CPR and revived the man. He was taken to Furness General Hospital by helicopter. A very lucky man by anyone's standards.

Kendal MRT assisted us in the treatment and evacuation of this woman after she slipped and sustained an ankle fracture. She was taken to hospital in Kendal MRT's ambulance.

This local woman dislocated her kneecap when she fell after her dog pulled her over. You feed them, let them sleep on the end of your bed, chase them round with a plastic bag, take them to the vets and this is the thanks you get!

Requested by Police to investigate a fire high on the fell side to check for people. Stamped out a couple of patches that were still burning.

We were asked to assist the Ambulance Service with the evacuation of this 49-year-old woman who had suffered minor facial injuries after a diabetic collapse.

A man descending a gully after completing a climb took a tumble and sustained injuries to his spine, leg and hand. He was immobilised with our vacuum mattress and a cervical collar and evacuated to the valley bottom. It turned out that he had fractured his C5 and C6 vertebrae. It's a good job we didn't let him walk down, as he wanted to.

An elderly man slipped and sustained serious lacerations to his leg. He was treated and evacuated to the valley.

An Australian woman on a bus tour of the UK slipped and fractured her ankle. Ironically she was one of the best equipped in terms of footwear amongst the group. Some people are just unlucky.

A 68-year-old woman suffered a recurrence of an old knee injury. Someone was sent on ahead to get us, but she made good time and arrived at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel at the same time as we did. The woman was examined at our base and allowed to go home.

A 37-year-old woman slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture.

This woman slipped on a steep fellside. She was treated and a passing helicopter saved us the trouble of a carry off.

A young boy from a large party slipped and suffered knee injuries. They helped him down for a while, then we took over.

The husband of a 38-year-old woman phoned 999 when she slipped and dislocated her finger a few hundred yards above the bridge near the bottom of the Ghyll. We were a little surprised at their apparent inability to deal with this one themselves.

Three climbers were reported overdue. We looked for them, but they outflanked us and turned up safe at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

This man tore his knee ligaments when he slipped. He was stretchered to Kirkstone Pass and then taken to hospital.

We were on our way home from the previous incident when we were notified of a second incident. The helicopter returning from the previous incident assisted again, making our lives a lot easier.

This man found himself at the top of this popular crag. He slipped and fell off, falling over 100 ft. He was seriously injured, sustaining head, arm, leg and spinal injuries. It really is amazing what the body is capable of surviving. He was airlifted to Furness General Hospital.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.