Incident 7 of 2024:-
18/01/24, 13.46, Levers Hawse, SD271996
A real winter’s day on the fells: cold, snowy, clear and sunny. A couple of walkers and their dog had reached the peak of the Old Man of Coniston and proceeded north along the ridge when the man felt unable to walk further because of pain in his leg, stopping at Levers Hawse. They phoned for help, and Cumbria Police called us. Before despatching two Land Rovers, they had to be fitted with snow chains on all tyres, so we were not quickly away. This, and the very low temperatures on the tops, made us ask for helicopter assistance. The prospect of a potentially long and hazardous stretcher carry had the helicopter been unable to assist meant that we requested support from our colleagues at Duddon & Furness MRT.
Fortunately, HM Coastguard Rescue 199 from Prestwick was available and reached the casualty party well before our hasty team. They elected to take both people and the dog off the hill, delivering the woman to John Ruskin School playing field in Coniston so that she could get her car, and the man to Carlisle hospital for assessment and treatment.
12 Coniston team members attended and we were supported by 7 from Duddon and Furness MRT in case a long stretcher carry had been required. The incident lasted 2 hours and 43 minutes.
