Incident Reports (Advance)

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.

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 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.

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.

One of those cunning attempts to catch us out before lunch. A 16 year old girl collapsed, while on a school walking trip, with severe stomach pains. She had had her appendix removed recently, and had a history of pain. She had been advised by her G.P. not to go on this walk, but had neglected to inform herteachers. Oops! AGAIN.

A very large man (18st.) collapsed with chest pains. He had a history of pains, but had not told anyone. Oops! He was treated with medication and his condition was monitored while he was transferred to hospital.

A search was mounted for this young couple after they were reported missing the previous evening by their parents. No-one had any idea where they were until their car was found in Langdale. A large area search was started and they were located safe and well in Rossett Ghyll. We were assisted by a helicopter from RAF Leconfield, MRTs from RAF Valley, Keswick, Furness, and Kendal and 16 SARDA dogs.

A group of seven D. of E. students were caught in darkness with only one faint torch. Their cries for help were heard in the valley, and the alarm was raised. We tracked them down and escorted them off the fell. We then reunited them with another six from the same school, who were found at the Old Dungeon Ghyll. All thirteen were cold and miserable. They were supposed to be camping at Stickle Tarn. They were put up for the night at a local Youth Hostel. The word, "fiasco", springs to mind.

A 50 year old man slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture. We splinted it and carried him down.

A search dog went missing. It was on the fell with its handler attending the previous rescue when it wandered off in the dark and got lost. It was eventually located 50 hours later, near Raven Crag, Langdale. It had suffered injuries to its chest and ribs in a fall, but made a full recovery.

Two men were climbing Gimmer Crack, a "Very Severe" rockclimb. One of them was unable to complete a pitch near the top. It went dark while he tried. His friend was unable to pull him up. He attempted to abseil down, but in the dark, missed the belay ledge and came to the end of the rope. At this point he became stuck. His friend managed to make his way down and raise the alarm. We located him, lowered a couple of climbers and enough rope down and lowered him to the bottom of the crag.

A 16 year old boy was "jogging" down the hillside when he went out of control and tumbled 80ft. down the fellside. He sustained serious head and spinal injuries. He was stabilised on the hill by the Team and helicoptered by RAF Boulmer to hospital.

We were called to assist the ambulance with a 52 year old woman who had sustained an ankle fracture after slipping.

A 61 year old man slipped while descending the Band and fractured his wrist.

During the previous incident we were alerted, by mobile phone, of a 17 year old woman, who had slipped and sustained a suspected ankle fracture. The helicopter with Doctor on board, diverted and picked her up.

A 29 year old man suffered fatal head and neck injuries when he fell 100ft. from Crescent Climb, after a belay failed while abseiling. A helicopter from RAF Boulmer and manpower from RAF Stafford and Leeming assisted.

This man's friend witnessed his parachute collapsing, and him falling 50ft. to the ground. He alerted us by mobile phone. Ourselves, and some men from RAF Stafford MRT, who were nearby, went to his aid, but he was not too badly hurt, suffering a suspected broken wrist.

A boy mountain biking Coast to Coast with his father and sister, fell off and injured his ankle. His sister didn't believe him and said so. However, without the benefit of an X-Ray machine, and the intuition that an older sister has, we had to take his word for it. He even managed to whimper and yelp as we carried him down. However, her diagnosis of "LYING LITTLE RAT" was correct.

This man fractured his lower leg and damaged his knee when he slipped descending, after finishing a climb. He was splinted and carried to the valley.

Olly the dog was recovered from the beck, after his owners had put him in there. He had collapsed and they assumed he was suffering from heat exhaustion. He was actually suffering from gastro¬enteritis, and was severely dehydrated. The cold water added hypothermia to his list of complaints. He was taken to a vet, unconscious and on oxygen, and treated there. He made a full recovery. Still, they could have parked in the sun with the windows shut and boiled his brains in a car. (He may have been better off!).

A 50 year old man sustained a fractured tib. and fib. when he slipped on the Climbers Traverse. He was treated and stretchered down with the help of Kendal MRT.

A man suffered a fatal heart attack on the summit of this hill. We carried his body down, with the help of Kendal MRT.

A 77 year old woman fell and sustained leg, head and eye injuries. She was treated at the scene and taken to Ambleside Health Centre for a check up.

Take one star, find a skyline, then bob up and down as if to mimic a member of H.M. Armed Forces wandering back from the pub, under the influence. Mix them together and HEY PRESTO! FLASHING LIGHTS. So we went back to bed. This was call-out number 1500 since the Team's formation.

This man fell while climbing and fractured both ankles and a big toe. He managed to abseil to the base of the crag, where we treated him and he was airlifted to hospital at Carlisle.

A man slipped at the caves and fell, sustaining cuts to his head, face and body. He was treated at the scene by a Team Doctor and taken back to his campsite to rest.

This woman slipped on a loose path and sustained a fractured ankle. She was splinted and carried down. Poor footwear may have contributed.

A young boy stood on a rusty nail, which penetrated his foot. The Team evacuated him to the roadside, where he was transferred to an ambulance, and taken to hospital.

A party of four were caught out by darkness, with no torches. One made his way down, and raised the alarm. The others were located staggering down Mickleden.

A 17 year girl was reported as unconscious in a tent in this remote spot. Team members were flown to the scene and found the party in question. They were evacuated to Ambleside. When you've driven from the south of England, arrived mid-afternoon, backpacked several miles, put tents up at midnight and gone to sleep, it's amazing how "unconscious" you can appear when someone tries to wake you at 2a.m.

Called to check flashing lights on the hillside. Lights were seen by Team members but nothing was found. During this incident we were notified of a man missing from the N.T. campsite. He was found, having gone astray on the way back from the pub.

A 39 year old man sustained a suspected fractured ankle and minor spinal injuries when he slipped on a path. We splinted him and carried him off.

A man had his foot crushed when he tried to stop a rock from falling on his wife. He was given medical treatment and helicoptered to Barrow by RAF Boulmer

A climber sustained serious head injuries when he was hit on the head by a rock dislodged by his partner 70ft. above. He was helicoptered to Whitehaven by RAF Boulmer. He was not wearing a helmet. A small scale war was waged against the midges, but they won.

A 37 year old Canadian woman ruined her planned trip to the Alps when she tripped and fractured her ankle. We treated her and a passing helicopter took her to hospital.

A 71 year old retired Doctor slipped and sustained head and arm injuries. We stretchered him off the fell and packed him off to Kendal hospital.

A 36 year old man went missing in the Grasmere area following a row with his partner. He was diabetic and had not taken his medication for some time so there was justifiable concern for his welfare. He eventually turned up at his Guest House in Keswick, unharmed.

A 20 year old Dutch woman had her foot crushed when her group leader pulled a rock off a ledge.

A young man collapsed on the fell. He recovered and was walked back down again. It may have been easier for his teachers if he'd told them about his vertigo.

A 39 year old woman slipped and fractured her ankle. This went down like a lead balloon with her family, who were on the first day of their walking holiday. Never mind, it's someone to stay in and write the postcards.

A 79 year old man slipped and sustain serious knee injuries. He was treated and stretchered off the fell.

Two young lads, one with asthma, went for a walk on Loughrigg and failed to return. A search was being organised when they turned up, 4 hours overdue. Dad seemed a bit vague about it all.

A 55 year old Australian woman slipped, in trainers, on wet ground and fractured her ankle. We sorted it. Our care recognises no boundaries.

A 47 year old man sustained an ankle injury and was airlifted to Ambleside by a passing helicopter. We spent more time rounding up his friends, who seemed to go "Walkabout", than we did treating his injuries.

A local resident saw bright lights on the fellside. A small search followed, but nothing was found.

A search was organised after a woman heard cries for help. Nothing was found and we blamed that sheepdog called help that gets us out a couple of times each year.

(Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday dear.. Oh! Never mind.) A man slipped and fractured his ankle. A passing helicopter picked him up before we broke into a sweat, so we went home again.

Called to assist the ambulance crew with a 20 year old man who had been practising a hard route in the quarry. He had completed it several times when the 'in-situ' tape sling broke, dropping him 25ft. to the ground. He fractured both wrists, his ankle, and sustained head and spinal injuries. NEVER RELY ON IN-SITU GEAR, REPLACE IT WHEN EVER POSSIBLE, WITH YOUR OWN. Close examination of this bit of sling revealed green mould on the side facing the rock, and the colour bleached out of teh other side by thje weather.

While attending the previous incident we were called to assist a man who had collapsed with a suspected heart attack. Efforts by his friends, and then ourselves and RAF Leeming MRT failed to revive him. His body was carried down from the fell.

A 62 year old woman slipped on a wet path and fractured her lower leg. Her 64 year old friend slippedflrying to help her, and fractured her wrist. We splinted them both and stretchered them off the fell.

A party of 5 became benighted due to inexperience, an over-ambitious route and atrocious weather. One made it down to the valley to raise the alarm. When we arrived at the scene, two were suffering severe hypothermia, and two, minor. Again 90mph winds and rain and snow prevented a helicopter reaching the scene. Team members bivouacked until first light, when two casualties were walked out, and two were stretchered to Angle Tarn. Although winds were still very high, daylight allowed a helicopter from Boulmer to pick up the two stretcher cases.

This woman slipped on a wet footpath and sustained a depressed skull fracture. Her condition was monitored with our Propaq portable monitor and she was taken to hospital in Kendal.

An 82 year old man slipped on a descent and injured his back. He was immobilised and evacuated on our vacuum mattress, and taken to hospital in Kendal.

The moral of this story is, that if you tell someone that you are stuck in a particular place, and you turn out to be somewhere else, it delays the rescue process enormously.Two men used a mobile phone to alert us of their plight. They were stuck in a snow gully on Eagle Crag, and felt unable to get themselves out. They had no ice axes or crampons. However, when we went to Eagle Crag, climbed all the gullies and scoured the top and bottom of the crag, we realised they weren't there. The weather conditions were deteriorating and from the continued phone conversation, so was theirs.

An 8 year old local girl was taken to hospital in a Team vehicle, when snow made the roads impassable.

A couple came across a man in his 60's, suffering from chest pains and was having difficulty breathing. They were naturally concerned and raised the alarm. We looked in, under, over and around Alcock Tarn, but we only found him when we extended the search to the pub.

A young foreign student sustained an ankle injury in the Loft Crag area. A search was mounted, but we failed to find him. He was eventually tracked down in the Stickle Barn pub. He and his friends were debriefed in the universal language, and our Team members were recalled from the far reaches of Langdale.

Some incidents go down in Team Folklore. This one has become the "1 Olb. of potatoes" job. Once upon a time their were four adventurous young men who decided to go on an expedition. They packed their bags very full. They packed 10lb. of potatoes. They weren't going to go hungry on their expedition. They set off late in the day and made slow progress. (Remember, their bags were very heavy). As darkness fell they found themselves at 2000ft. on the side of Great Rigg Man. They put their tents up, and the wind took them down again, so they sat and shivered for an hour or so.

A 13 year old girl became separated from her parents on steep and dangerous terrain. A search was mounted, but she made her own way off the hill. A one way discussion on parental responsibility ensued.

Called by Patterdale MRT to assist two climbers left cragfast by an avalanche that had swept away five other climbers. By the time we got there, they had managed to extricate themselves.

A confused and depressed old woman went missing from Ambleside. A search was made of the Loughrigg area, but she was found by the Police wandering around the Football field.

This man was reported missing the previous evening but the information was vague. A Team vehicle and one from Patterdale MRT tackled the road (blocked by snow) and found nothing. He eventually walked down to Ambleside Police station. The moral of this story is, if you leave your "Route Card" on someone's answering machine, make sure it's one that is working, and if you're going to rely on a snowhole for shelter, make sure you do it on a night when a rapid thaw doesn't take place.

This was becoming one of those days. A party of two split on the fell above Codale Tarn. They failed to re-unite. The inexperienced one found his way down to their car, in Grasmere, and reported his experienced friend missing. This man eventually reported in at Keswick Police Station Fortunately only his pride was hurt.

These two people set off late in the morning to walk the Fairfield Horseshoe. They failed to return for their evening meal as expected. A search was started, with help of Patterdale MRT They were eventually located between Heron Pike and Nab Scar. They were very cold and apparently resigned to their fate. Again, no winter equipment or survival gear meant they were very lucky. It is unlikely they would have survived more than a couple of hours.

A local woman with a kidney condition and paralysed from the waist down was recovered from her car which was stuck in snow drifts, and taken home.

Requested to transfer a woman in labour, with complications, to hospital in Kendal. AMBULANCE DUTY - Ambleside 27th. January at 15.45. A local woman with a kidney condition and paralysed from the waist down was recovered from her car which was stuck in snow drifts, and taken home.

Then it snowed, and all the roads became impassable. We were requested by the local Ambulance service to transfer a 70 year old woman with a heart attack to hospital.

This woman had no crampons or ice axe when she slipped and slid 400ft. on snow, breaking both wrists, and sustaining minor head injuries. She did manage to walk down to Mickleden where she was met by the Team. 10/10 for self reliance. 2/10 and SEE ME for planning.

Called to assist the Police in a search for a depressed local man. He may have taken his car up Kirkstone Pass which was closed by snow. Nothing was found, and he eventually turned up at home at 3 am unharmed.

A young couple chose to ascend the fell by a very obscure route. It would have been an odd choice in warm, dry conditions, so in the snow and ice that prevailed, it left us scratching our heads The young man took a tumble, hit his head, and then carried on uphill(?). They eventually became cragfast and started to shout for help. Their shouts were heard by a passing postman, who raised the alarm. We eventually tracked them down by following the trail of blood uphill. Both were suffering from severe hypothermia and the younq man had a nasty head injury.

A young woman slipped on ice and fractured her tib. and fib. It was cold and dark.

A new day, a New Year, the same old injuries. A woman slipped crossing a stream and fractured her ankle.

A sad end to a very busy year. This gentleman suffered a heart attack 2600 feet up, on Wetside Edge, unfortunately he had died before the team could get to him. He was carried from the fell by team members.

This lady fell on very wet grass and fractured her left leg, The team managed to drive to the site over rough tracks and moorland, where she was evacuated using the vehicle and no! the stretcher, it makes for variety!!

A lady reported this man missing on a walk from Keswick to Langdale. The team searched the Langdale side of his route, until he telephoned the police from Boot in Eskdale. He was lost and many miles from Langdale, but safe.

At the risk of being flippant, this lady did a very good impression of the lady in call-out 106, but higher up the fell, and higher up her leg. The teams response was the same also.

Guess what!! This woman slipped on wet grass, and yes, she fractured her ankle. Of course, we stretchered her off.