Incident Reports 1984

A fellwalker who was on the Band noticed flashing lights indicating the distress signal. Team searched Crinkles and surrounding areas, negative results.

A local farmer reported sighting a red flare. 3 groups searched Far East Raven, Dungeon Ghyll and Pike Howe. Negative results.
Weather conditions: Fresh snow, iced paths, blizzards at times

A full scale search was mounted when 2 elderly gentlemen from Epsom, who were last seen at 1.00pm failed to arrive at Langdale. Six Lake District teams, R.A.F Linton M.R.T. and S.A.R.D.A., assisted by a helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer, scoured the mist-shrouded fells. Located Martcrag Moor at 11.30am 22/11 /84. Both persons exhausted and suffering from incipient exposure. Airlifted to safety and flown to Ambleside Health Centre. Weather conditions: Heavy rain during the night, low cloud.

Cumbria Police requested the team to search for a 28 year old man from Bury who was suffering from severe depression. Located near lake shore, escorted to safety.

Whilst on a college outing a 16 year old girl from Blackpool slipped on very wet ground and suffered a severe knee injury. Fashion town shoes may have caused this accident. Rest of party had dubious footwear/clothing. Weather: heavy rain, windy, very wet fellside.

The team went to the aid of a 68 year old man from West Lothian who had slipped on very wet fellside and fractured his lower leg.
 

A 39 year old Preston female on a rambling club walk slipped on very wet fellside and fractured her lower leg. Stretchered to teams Land Rover then to Troutbeck Park Farm to a waiting ambulance.

The team went to the assistance of a 56 year old man from North Berwick who was pulled over by his dog and fractured his left arm.

A 31 year old Leeds man slipped on very wet rocks, dislocated his shoulder, and suffered from exposure. Not at location given. Eventually found and helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer flew casualty with companion suffering from slight exposure to Whitehaven Hospital Weather conditions: cold, low cloud, raining.

The team and R.A.F. Linton M.R.T. having just completed rescue 44 was called out again for a 21 year old female from Barrow who fractured her lower leg when she slipped on loose rock. She was lowered down the Gully on a stretcher, then conveyed down the fellside.

The team and R.A.F. Linton M.R.T. went to the aid of a 27 year old man from Middlesex who fell 40 feet when his belay harness came undone. He suffered spinal and hand injuries and a compound fractured right foot.

A man aged 74 from Edinburgh fell at the Bad Step and sustained fatal injuries. The team and R.A.F. Linton M.R.T. was alerted. A helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer, on exercise in the area, diverted to assist and flew the body down to Ambleside.

The team searched for 4 hours when a 35 year old Leigh man, who was a member of a rambling party, was reported missing. Located in Hawkshead village uninjured.

The team having just completed rescue 39, was called out again for a 61 year old Chelmsford female who had fallen and sustained a fractured arm and shoulder.

The team was alerted when a 67 year old man from Alberta, Canada, slipped and fractured his lower leg. Stretchered down to Stickle Barn.

A sub-group was called to assist a local doctor when a man collapsed and needed to be evacuated by stretcher to ambulance.

The Coniston team requested our assistance when; 4 teenage girls were reported missing overnight whilst on a DoE expedition between Elterwater and Coniston. Located at Seathwaite Tarn uniniured. S.A.R.D.A. and Millom teams assisted. Weather conditions: very misty, raining.

The team assisted by R.A.F. Linton M.R.T. went to the aid of a Sussex youth who slipped on rocks and sustained a fractured patella.

A 55 year old woman from Ashby Parva was pulled across sharp rocks by her dog. A diagnosis later revealed a hairline fracture of the skull and cuts to her face requiring 31 stitches, also a broken nose and a fractured ankle were dealt with.

It was reported that two females aged 17 and 21 were missing. Team assisted Keswick M.R.T. and S.A.R.D.A. to search Langstrath, Rossett Ghyll and Angle Tarn areas. Located at 10.00am 14/8/84 at Ambleside. Had not been on the fell at all.

The team went to the assistance of a 16 year old youth from Sunderland who was suffering from an ankle iniury and exhaustion. Rest of group escorted to safety and taken by team's Land Rover to Grasmere YHA.

The team went to the aid of a 17 year old junior soldier from Dover who collapsed with breathing complications. The youth had just recovered from a severe lung infection 6 weeks previously. Transported to Ambleside Health Centre by teams ambulance.

A school party of 10 were reported missing at 4.00pm, whilst on a hike from Borrowdale to Grasmere. Found safe and well near Ghyll Foot Farm, Grasmere.

Wellingtons may have been the cause when a 17 year old youth from Richmond slipped on very steep, wet fellside and sustained a dislocated shoulder and minor cuts.
 

During a rambling club walk, a 41 year old female from Leeds collapsed with severe chest pains, possible heart attack. A helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer airlifted the casualty to Whitehaven Hospital.

A 38 year old female from Lockerbie suffered a broken arm and shock when a lead climber fell 60 feet onto her belay. Team lowered stretcher to accident site, rendered first aid and lowered casualty 200 feet to base of crag. Rest of team then evacuated the casualty down the fellside. Lead climber uninjured.

A 17 year old Essex youth collapsed with heat exhaustion whilst descending from Grisedale Tarn. Stretchered to roadside then Land Rover to Grasmere YHA. Weather conditions: very dry, hot and sunny.

Plimsoles may have caused a 63 year old female from Sheffield to slip whilst descending a steep footpath and suffer a fractured lower leg. Stretchered to White Moss Common, then to hospital by car.

After finishing a route, a 40 year old man from Hinckley collapsed with severe pain due to kidney stones.

During a C.H.A. walk a 55 year old female from Stuttgart, West Germany was blown off the dam wall in gale force winds and fell 10 feet. She sustained shock, facial and head injuries. A search dog handler gave first aid until the team arrived.

It was reported that a 67 year old man from Ilkley, who was wearing smooth soled shoes, had sustained a fracture to his lower leg. Only a vague location could be given. A search ensued. An R.A.F. Boulmer helicopter in the area on practice was called to assist. Casualty located and flown to Ambleside, then by ambulance to hospital.

The team and S.A.R.D.A. searched for 13 hours for a Warrington couple reported missing.
Found by a search dog near Bowfell Links. Uninjured but very cold and wet. Escorted to
safety.
Weather conditions: low mist, rain.

Whilst walking with a rambling club a 58 year old man from Formby collapsed and died from
a heart attack. A helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer assisted.

The team was called when cries of 'help' had been reported. A 39 year old man from California, USA, who was short sighted, had lost the track and become semi-crag fast. Escorted to safety uninjured.

Smooth soled town shoes may have caused a 31 year old man from Liverpool to slip and
sustain a fracture to his lower leg/ankle. Taken to Ambleside Health Centre.

An 11 year old boy from Woodthorpe slipped on very dry fell grass and suffered a fracture
to his upper arm/shoulder. Taken by teams Land Rover to Ambleside Health Centre.

Smooth soled tennis plimsoles may have caused a 55 year old woman from Sussex to slip on very dry fellside and suffer a fracture to her lower leg. Stretchered to Wrynose Pass, then by team's ambulance to Ambleside Health Centre.

The team went to the aid of a 59 year old Worcester female who collapsed with a heart attack and recovered. Treated by lady doctor at scene of incident.

The team was alerted when a 38 year old female from Wigan collapsed with a possible stroke. She was not at given location and was found at Easedale Bridge. A team Doctor
examined her.

A 50 year old Chorley man collapsed and died whilst walking with friends. The team assisted by R.A.F. Linton M.R.T., conveyed the body down the fellside.

The team assisted a 48 year old female from Kent who slipped on very wet fellside and injured her right arm and shoulder.

Smooth soled plimsoles may have caused a 25 year old Sheffield man to fall 300 feet onto rough scree and sustain a severe head and other multiple injuries. Team doctor set up a drip system, and a helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmcr flew the unconscious victim to Newcastle General Hospital. Weather conditions: cold, very wet, snow showers.

The team went to the assistance of a 39 year old Surrey man who fell 6 feet whilst on an O.B. course. He sustained a compound fracture of his right leg/ankle when someone failed to hold him on a safety rope.

The Patterdale team requested a medical group to assist when two incidents occured at the same time. 4 people had slipped on snow and ice and fell 200 and 350 feet. 2 were found dead and 2 had serious injuries. A helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer flew the casualties to hospital. The Penrith team were also in attendance. Weather conditions: cold, paths iced-up, deep snow, snow showers.

The Patterdale team requested a medical group to assist when a father and son slipped on
snow and ice, falling 200 and 600 feet respectively, and sustaining serious injuries. A
helicopter from R.A.F. Boulmer flew the injured to Whitehaven Hospital. The Penrith team
were also in attendance.
Weather conditions: snow and ice underfoot, cold, snow showers at times.

A search was mounted when a 44 year old Windermere woman failed to return home 5/27
84. Team and S.A.R.D.A. searched surrounding woodland. Her body was subsequently
found in the lake by police divers at 1.30pm 7/2/84.

Cumbria Police requested an investigation when a local farmer and a fellwalker reported on separate days that clothing, food and cooking equipment had been found in deep snow. Team and S.A.R.D.A. located snow holes/bivis, abandoned by a "Training Group".

A 19 year old male from Barrow sustained a fractured leg and a dislocated hip. Members
from a Grassington team who were in the area had stretchered the injured skier down just
as the team were arriving at the incident.
 

Whilst being taken to hospital with a broken leg, a man aged 40 from the Kirkstone Pass Inn was trapped for 5 hours in his snow-bound Land Rover. The team's Land Rover, with special studded snow tyres and a "digging crew" recovered passenger and vehicle and returned both to Kirkstone Top.
Weather conditions: gale force winds, deep snow drifts, Pass road blocked.
 

The Patterdale Team requested a medical unit, with the rest of the team on "stand by" at Ambleside base, when 6 males from Cleveland fell a considerable distance whilst attempting a route in very poor snow conditions. Teams from Kendal, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen and R.A.F. Linton M.R.T. struggled in blizzards, deep snow and gale force winds to carry the 3 dead, and 3 with multiple injuries. An R.A.F. helicopter was forced back due to the appalling weather.

A Park Ranger and team member found a 14 year old youth from London near Greatrigg Man, who had slipped on ice and suffered a fracture to his lower leg. The team stretchered the casualty to Grasmere, then by team's ambulance to Ambleside Health Centre.
Weather conditions: clear skies, cold, snow/icy footpaths.

An R.A.F. team on exercise found a Preston couple who had been benighted due to injuries
sustained whilst carrying bicycles from Borrowdale to Grasmere. The man, aged 49, had a
fractured leg, chest and hip injuries. The female aged 36 was suffering from severe
exposure. The team and the RAF Linton M.R.T. stretchered both casulaties to safety.
Weather conditions: cold, gale force winds, rain, heavy snow showers.

A 54 year old Cheshire lady collapsed and died whilst walking with her husband. The team conveyed the body down the fellside.