Farmer’s relief despite copter failure
Reporter: KEN BENNETT
Date published: 13 January 2010
A mercy mission to save a marooned flock of sheep on snow-hammered moors in Saddleworth was called off after 48-hours of drama.
Farmer Chris Crowther called in a helicopter pilot after Kirklees Council originally refused his pleas for help.
Attempts to airlift vital feed to the 400 stranded animals were abandoned after 60 mph winds, snow and low cloud forced the helicopter to abort the survival bid.
But the intrepid family, who have farmed more than 7,000 acres of land on the A635 Greenfield to Holmfirth road for three generations, managed to get two tractors carrying feed to the stricken sheep.
Mr Crowther contacted Kirklees Council’s highways department yesterday asking if they could clear part of the roadway.
He said “I said I was willing to hire two JCBs to clear a path but I was told by a council worker that would be unlawful. I did not know where to turn.
“I was in danger of losing my flock unless some drastic action was taken immediately. I wasn’t asking for anything major — just a path to let me get my tractors through to deliver them feed.”
In desperation, he contacted Captain Chris Ruddy of Diggle-based Pennine Helicopters, who volunteered the service of his six-seater Bell LongRanger craft .
But the rescue was grounded by a severe downturn in weather leaving the operation primed for action today.
Last night, Kirklees Council cleared the road, much to Mr Crowther’s relief. A spokesman said: “Kirklees gritters are now trying to clear the rest of the A635 in an attempt to open it up fully to all traffic.”
