At 08:36 on this very nice morning the team was paged by NWAS (Manchester) Emergency Control Centre who were requesting our assistance at an incident in Harwood, Bolton.

Senior team member Mike Marsh contacted NWAS Manchester to get the details of the incident, which ultimately were that a male golfer had fallen whilst out golfing on Harwood Golf Course, and had suffered a suspected broken leg and arm.

The NWAS (Manchester) Emergency Ambulance crew were already on scene, but with the injured male a considerable distance from the club house, the team was required to carry him to the waiting ambulance at “The Height”, a nearby horse stables.

A quick response was made to this incident with two team vehicles soon mobile to the incident, and a further two team vehicles mobilising slightly later on.

The first two arriving team vehicles rendevouzed at the car park at Harwood Golf Club, and with a full compliment of team members on board they journeyed up to the location of the incident, a drive of approximately 1.5km.

With thanks to the owner of the local stables, the team was permitted to drive one of its vehicles through the stable area and onto a field immediately adjacent to the casualty.

The male’s injured arm and leg had been splinted by the NWAS crew prior to our arrival and pain releif had been administered. Utilising one of the team’s SAR Alpine Lite Mountain Rescue stretchers, along with a “casualty bag” to keep him warm, nine team members carried the injured male some 230m along the golf course and then over a fence to the waiting NWAS Emergency Ambulance, which then promptly departed for Royal Bolton Hospital.

In total 23 team members and four team vehicles attended this early morning incident (the other team members & vehicles were on hand to assist with the carry if it had been a more protracted or difficult stretcher evacuation). Two additional team members were stood down whilst responding.

Our thanks are expressed to the staff at the stables at “The Height” for allowing us to park at, and drive onto their land in order to make the job easier for us, as well as to Harwood Golf Club for putting up with the arrival of quite a few team vehicles onto their car park!

Thanks are also expressed to the NWAS Control staff and Ambulance crew as this incident reflected the excellent close working relationship we have with the ambulance service.

Finally, we wish the injured male a speedy recovery and return to his golfing soon!