MOUNTAIN rescue volunteers have had a busy Bank Holiday weekend on top of commitments with scheduled outdoor events.

Following call-outs on both Friday and Saturday, when the Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team was also covering the English Championship Fell Race, hopes of a quiet Sunday were dashed for the annual Whalebones Walk, from Whitby to Marske.

Members also ended up dealing with two more call-outs while providing assistance with the walk.

North Yorkshire Police informed rescuers of a man with potentially serious injuries resulting from a mountain bike accident near to Kirby Knowle, Thirsk, shortly before midday, on Sunday.

A team member was sent to the village to act as the incident officer whilst a team Land Rover was sent from its base, with other members travelling from across the area.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was also dispatched and on arrival its crew dealt with the casualty before the mountain rescue volunteers carried him on a rescue stretcher to the helicopter for onward treatment at hospital.
Fifteen team members were involved while two others coordinating the response were also engaged in the Whalebones Walk.

The call-out lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours, plus additional return travelling time.

Shortly after most of them stood-down another call was received for assistance at 2.20pm, also from North Yorkshire Police.

A young woman in a walking party was reported to have been taken ill and was unable to continue on the Cleveland Way, at Cold Moor, between Lordstones and Wain Stones.

While the team was en-route to the scene its call-out officer was in regular telephone contact with the party leader, who was providing valuable information about the circumstances and the casualty’s condition, which were said to be slowly improving over time.

An accurate location was already provided but this was reconfirmed via the mountain rescue’s Phone Find system.
On its arrival a small group of team members made its way to the walking party, while others remained on hand at the rescue vehicle in case an evacuation by rescue stretcher was required.

Once the casualty was medically and the team was satisfied she was well enough to walk, she was carefully led off the hill to a team Land Rover and driven back to be reunited with the rest of her walking party.

Eighteen rescue team members were involved in this incident, backed by two others coordinating the response from Saltburn, while still monitoing the Whalebones Walk.

This call-out lasted about an hour and three-quarters, plus further travelling time back to base, with the Whalebones Walk still several hours from completion.

Read more: Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team aid injured walker in Marske

It brings the number of call-outs for team members to 17 so far this year, compared to full-year figures of 61 and 58 for 2021 and 2020.

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