At 17.51 Hrs GMAS contacted our Team Leader direct for immediate assistance at an incident in the Bromley Cross area, with the report of a climber having fallen. Our Team Leader in consultation with GMAS Control established an initial RVP based on the information given. A full Call Out message took place at 17:54 Hrs, resulting in a response by our four team vehicles and 21 Team members. During the emergency response it was established that the accident was in Ousel Nest quarry, near to Jumbles reservoir. Our first team member was at the Ambulance roadhead at 18:04 hrs and located the incident site at 18:07 Hrs. Our first Team vehicle arrived on scene at 18:05 Hrs, closely followed by our Team Leader.

The climb the casualty had fallen from.

The climber involved aged 19, from the Turton area of Bolton, had been climbing with his father and was lead climbing a previously unclimbed route which he had top roped practiced on three previous occasions. He fell from the extremely difficult route to the ground approximately 15 foot, vertical, when firstly a hold broke away and then all three items of protection came away.

Team members preparing the longboard for the casualty.

Along with a GMAS crew from Bolton North Ambulance Station, the youth involved was treated for suspected spinal injuries with oxygen being administered.

The casualty treated by GMAS Paramedics and BMRT.

He was place on a longboard, with neck collar and head blocks and then onto a Bell Mountain Rescue Stretcher for the evacuation and half mile carry to the Ambulance parked near Chapel Town Road.

The casualty being carried on the longboard and being placed on the Bell MR stretcher.

The carry back to the ambulance.

Hand over of the casualty to the GMAS Crew at their ambulance.

The Ambulance left the scene for Royal Bolton Hospital at 18:45 Hrs. On scene the youth’s father was very appreciative of the very fast GMAS and MRT response.

The Team wishes the youth involved a full recovery back to hard rock climbing. (As an aside, our now aging, Team Leader, Garry Rhodes was heard to mutter in the now heavily mature wooded quarry, ’I can remember when there were no trees here at all !!!’)