Historically over the years a regular incident site for us, we were called this afternoon to the Tigers Clough area, on the outskirts of Horwich at its boundary with Rivington.

Tigers Clough, (its local name) more correctly known as the River Douglas Valley, is a very steep sided moorland river valley, wooded throughout its middle to lower reaches, with many narrow paths clinging in places to the steep sides, with small rock faces throughout, and some beautiful waterfalls and ravines.

At circa 15.42hrs, after a call had been received initially by Greater Manchester Police, who then immediately passed it to the North West Ambulance Service (Greater Manchester Area) Paramedic Control, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes, was contacted directly by NWAS (GMA) requesting the teams assistance, alongside with a parallel request for the North West Air Ambulance Helimed 08, by NWAS (GMA)

The information was that a female rambler had suffered a leg fracture in the vicinity of Ormstons Farm, Horwich, on the fringes of the moors.

Team members load the casualty onto the Bell MR stretcher

Team member Fred Taylor and his wife, was walking coincidentally very nearby and made a quick response, following the full team group pager call at 15.47hrs.
Another team member, Mark Scott, who lives but yards from the Ambulance RVP at Green Lane, Horwich , also made a very quick response, joining our Deputy Leader Geoff Seddon who also lives minutes from the location.

Very quickly the Emergency Ambulance crew from Blackrod Ambulance Station were met at the casualty site by our first responding members at 15.56hrs.
The casualty, a rambler in her fifties, had been out walking with the (Bolton ?) Institute of Advanced Motorists, ’Ride and Ramble’ thirty strong walking group, and had simply slipped in the muddy conditions underfoot, sustaining a suspected left ankle fracture.

Preparing to lift the Bell MR stretcher, with casualty loaded.

Other members in the party had called the Emergency Services, and also indicated to the NWAA Helimed 08 where the party was located.
In liaison with our Deputy Leader Geoff Seddon, Helimed after first landing, then departed for another priority incident elsewhere, as we could evacuate the woman relatively easily to the waiting Ambulance.

As more team members arrived, including two of our Landrover Ambulances at the Green Lane RVP, rescue kit was quickly taken to the scene, and following the splinting of her ankle injury, the woman was stretcher evacuated on our Bell Mountain Rescue stretcher out of the moorland wooded valley, across the River Douglas, (thankfully only ankle deep) and to the waiting ambulance at Green Lane.
Throughout her ordeal, the woman was on self administered Entonox gas to relieve her pain.

Members carrying the stretcher.

At 17.02hrs, the NWAS (GMA) Ambulance was able to leave the area, taking the woman onto Royal Bolton Hospital for treatment. (followed by one of our vehicles to retrieve our team kit used in the rescue)

Stretcher party arrives at the NWAS (GMA) ambulance.

In total 15x Call Out List members responded, assisted by Johanne Lamb, a member of our Support Group, who responded along with her husband Craig a team member, and Julie Taylor the wife of Team member Fred Taylor, who were jointly out walking in the area when the call came.

Thanks are due to the members of the womans party who guided into the casualty site, the Ambulance crew, Helimed 08 and our responding members.
As usual we enjoyed our now established excellent working rapport with the NWAS (GMA) crew and the staff back at Paramedic Emergency Control, with us all working together to successfully conclude another joint incident.