Incident report

Early evening on Saturday Buxton Mountain Rescue Team were requested to attend an incident at Harpur Hill, Buxton to assist the ambulance service with a climbing accident on the Upper Tier of Hoffman Quarry. The casualty, a 26 year old lady from London who was with a climbing group, but not climbing at the time, had been hit by a limestone flake dislodged by a lead climber near to the top of the route “Galaxy Quest”, a 5a climb. The rock caused a glancing blow to the head causing a wound, which was below the helmet she was wearing.  Due to the nature of the impact both head and spinal injuries were suspected. The casualty was treated on site by the ambulance service paramedics and a team doctor. She was then put on a mountain rescue stretcher and carried more than a kilometre to the roadside at Haslin Road Cottages, Harpur Hill where she was transferred into a land ambulance and taken to Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, for treatment. Neil Carruthers, Buxton Team Leader said “ This lady was on the quarry floor watching the climbing. Luckily she was wearing a helmet when the rock hit her which undoubtedly prevented more serious injuries.  Also interesting to note that the falling rock severed the lead climbers rope, and he had to be recovered from the quarry face by his climbing companions before we arrived”.