In the news

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 15:30 on 20th September 2019.

The Team was called out to assist a 60-year-old male who had taken a leader fall high up on the route ÔMegatonÕ on the north face of Pillar Rock. Due to the remoteness of the location and the potential for serious injuries the Team Leader called in helicopters from both the Coastguard and the Air Ambulance Service.

Several team members went directly from work to Pillar Rock, climbing to the summit of Low Man, some 50m above the injured climber and his partner. The rest of the Team assembled in Cockermouth before driving to the valley. Rescue Helicopter 199 airlifted team members and equipment from the valley and winched them out onto the summit of Low Man.

A team member was lowered to the injured climber who following a medical assessment, was released from his rope and lowered to a safe ledge below. The casualty was then treated and stabilised before being packaged into a stretcher. Rescue 199 was able to winch the casualty from Green Ledge he was flown to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle for further treatment. The injured climbersÕ partner was also lowered to the ledge and assisted from the crag by team members.

Team Leader Andrew McNeil said, ÒCallouts to Pillar Rock, are fairly rare these days, but are nearly always a serious proposition. This was a very technical rescue which the team dealt with fantastically well. WetrainannuallyonPillarspecificallyforthissituation. Onceagain,theTeamextendsitsthanks to the crews of HM Coastguard R199 and Helimed H72 for their support. Their help made a huge differencetothespeedandoutcomeofthisrescue. Wewishthecasualtyapromptrecovery.Ó

This was the 46th callout of the year, which was attended by 21 team members and lasted approximately seven hours.