Incident report

A lengthy call-out for the Edale and Buxton Mountain Rescue Teams’ Joint Snatch Squad following a report of a child having fallen in the upper reaches of Grindsbrook sustaining back injuries.

The 12 year old boy from Kent was on an organised adventure holiday when he slipped on the rocks, falling about one metre and landing badly.  The incident occurred in one of the most difficult locations from which to extract a casualty where the rough gritstone boulders make stretcher handling a real challenge.  The steep sides of the gorge also make the area a radio-communication black-spot.

Team paramedics and first-aiders examined the casualty and early indications presented a potential back injury.  The weather was not kind with strong gusty winds on the plateau edge and intermittent heavy rain showers.  Experience tells us that extraction  by winching to a Sea-King helicopter is a potentially dangerous operation so the only realistic route to Edale was back down Grindsbrook on a stretcher.   The two and a half kilometre route off took nearly two hours to complete delayed by the narrow path and the rugged terrain.

The young man was finally handed to East Midlands Ambulance Service for transport to a Stockport Hospital.

Photos:  Top.  –  Even the lower reaches of Grindsbrook create stretcher carrying problems.     Lower.  –  Descending from the steeper section of Grindsbrook Gorge.