Stay at home plea after mountain rescue drama

Rescuers at the scene Blackstone Edge near Littleborough.

The leader of a Trojan team of hillside heroes today made a heartfelt appeal to outdoor lovers not to break government guidelines over the Coronavirus.

Eighteen members of Oldham Mountain Rescue Team spent more than three hours on Saturday night (11th April) evacuating a young woman injured in a fall on Blackstone Edge, near Littleborough.

The  team were responding to a call from North West Ambulance Service to assist them after the girl sustained a lower leg injury while walking.

She was treated at the scene by NWAS, before being carried by stretcher to OMRT Land Rover and taken  to the road head for onward transport by ambulance.

OMRT leader Rob Tortoishell said: “We followed  OMRT's Covid-19 protocol and observing social distancing wherever possible.

“And once we were back at base we  disinfected  kit and made sure we were  ready to respond to the next call.

“But we would to ask that people stick to government advice and stay at home,” he stressed.

And Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) is following national health protection advice as a voluntary service.

“Our priority is resilience,”  Mike France, MREW senior executive officer, explained. 

“We need to make sure as many of our trained volunteers as possible are available for essential call outs and to support the paid emergency services as needed.”

MR teams across the country have been disappointed to see walkers ignoring the national advice, travelling into National Parks and other areas and, it is assumed, expecting MR volunteers to risk their own lives - and those of their families and colleagues - to come to a walker’s aid if called.

“The hills and upland areas will still be there to be enjoyed once the restrictions are lifted,” said Mike. 

“It is vitally important people continue to be responsible and everyone stays at home over the Easter weekend. That is what will save lives and protect not only the NHS but also our MR volunteers.”

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.