Incident report

Team called to Hen Cloud near the Roaches in Staffordshire following the report of a fallen climber.

On arrival the team found a 37 year old female from Wirksworth in Derbyshire being treated by paramedics from the Midlands Air-ambulance and crew from a West Midlands Ambulance.  First Responders from Flash were also on site so with all first aid in hand the team set about rigging a rope system to steady the stretcher as the casualty was lowered from near the top of Hen Cloud to a position from where she could be transferred to the helicopter.   Chest high bracken hampered the evacuation which at times required the stretcher to be passed hand over hand between the rescuers who had difficulty keeping a foot hold on the steep hillside.

The casualty had been climbing Thompson’s Buttress on a route graded as “very severe” and was being belayed from below when the accident happened.  Despite the protection of runners the lady hit a ledge and sustained a serious injury to the lower leg. She was flown to Derby Royal Hospital for treatment.

The team would like to express its gratitude to all the help and assistance offered by climbers and walkers in the vicinity of the accident.

Library  Photo:  West Midlands Air-ambulance.