At 19.28hrs this very damp evening, we were paged by Lancashire Constabulary regarding a “female who had fallen off a bike in an off road location.”

Coincidentally at this time, our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, Training Officer Alistair Greenough, Equipment Officer Paul Copley and Neil Haigh, were all at our Ladybridge Hall Base / HQ.

Whilst Garry immediately contacted the Lancashire Constabulary Force Incident Manager for further details, his three colleagues immediately made the two Base / HQ Land Rovers ready for an emergency response.

At 19.34hrs a team page stated more information was being gathered, and that Mike Marsh was on route to collect our BM6 Incident Control Vehicle, with team Call Out Contact making his way within minutes to our Base / HQ as an emergency response driver, and team member Michael Eddleston on route to collect our GMFRS Bolton North Community Fire Station garaged Land Rover.

After gathering more information from the Police FIM, our Team Leader on behalf of the FIM then contacted the casualty party via the 999 callers phone number.

Garry quickly ascertained in a three minute phone call, that the incident involved a female mountain biker, within a group of “twenty,” who had become dismounted on a track within Roddlesworth Woodlands, opposite the Royal Arms, Roddlesworth.

Garry actually ended up speaking with the casualty, who stated that she felt her injury was a soft tissue one, and that members of her party were now assisting her to the nearby road, and that we were no longer required. to assist her.

At 19.40hrs the team was stood down via pager, with three team vehicles immediately ready for departure, with the FIM being informed at the same time.

Members who had just departed our Christmas Social at the Jolly Crofters, all returned to their hot pot and drinks, being joined shortly afterwards by Garry, Alistair, Paul, Neil, Mike and Steve.

This is recorded here for the information and interest of our supporters and does not feature in our incident reports.