Rescue teams drafted in to aid injured walker at Birchen Clough

A scene from the drama at Birchen Clough

Two mountain rescue teams saved a walker who fell at Birchen Clough, Saddleworth, early on Saturday evening.

Initially, the North West Ambulance Service contacted Oldham Mountain Rescue Team seeking assistance with the treatment an evacuation of a male who had fallen and suffered a potentially fractured ankle on the walk.

The team, knowing the location and injuries as they were heading to the scene, also requested support from @mca helicopter with winching capability and asked the Holme Valley Mountain Rescue Team to attend in case the helicopter could not make it and OMRT needed to carry the casualty out on one of their stretchers.

After assessing the casualty it was determined the Coastguard helicopter would be needed although, due to zero wind, it was decided to carry the stretcher up out of the Clough and ‘hot load’ the casualty.  

From there, the casualty was flown to Sheffield hospital for further treatment.

OMRT then had to carry the equipment back down to the vehicles for sorting and checking and sending someone to Sheffield to collect the Casualty Carer and stretcher.

Said OMRT leader Rob Tortoiseshell: “Huge thanks to R912 from Humberside, and to HVMRT for their help.”

Fifteen OMRT and 14 HVMRT personnel were involved for five hours.

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