Airlift for boy hurt in fall

A TEENAGER suffered spinal injuries after falling from a rope swing in High Crompton.

Oldham Mountain Rescue Team rushed to Rochdale Road, near the Colliers Return pub, at 4pm yesterday after the accident in a wooded area.

The boy, believed to be 13 years old, was put on a special vacuum mattress and airlifted by the West Yorkshire Air Ambulance service to North Manchester General Hospital.

Mountain rescue section leader Simon Britain said a group of around a dozen youngsters had been playing when the teenager fell to the ground.

He added: “He was higher up than his own height, in which case we treat for spinal injury. He was in quite a lot of pain for which he was treated at the scene but he seemed OK in himself.

“Youngsters need to be aware if they are playing in these areas what can happen.”

The rescue team was also called to an accident in Stockport at 6.40pm in which a woman suffered spinal injuries after being thrown from her horse.

She was also airlifted to hospital by West Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

It was the 63rd incident the team has attended this year.