The climber is stretchered from the crag by rescue team members. Photo: Northumberland National Park MRT
A schoolboy was rescued after injuring himself while climbing on a Northumberland crag.
The 13-year-old was with an organised school group on the crag at East Woodburn on Monday when he injured his leg.
Ambulance staff requested help from the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team and the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team to bring the injured teen from the site, near Bellingham.
Ambulance crew stabilised the climber but needed help to stretcher the youth across the uneven ground to the nearest road. The 1½-hour rescue involved 12 volunteers from the two teams and was their 51st of the year.
The Northumberland National Park team appealed to outdoor enthusiasts to be prepared when they venture out, as the first snows of the season had already fallen in the park.
A team spokesperson said: “Start early to prevent becoming benighted and always take a torch. Take a map and compass, know how to use them and do not rely on electronic navigation.
“Check the weather forecast and take clothing appropriate to the conditions; the first snowfall of the season has been observed in the Northumberland national park.
“Should anyone require the services of mountain rescue, they should phone 999, ask for police and then mountain rescue.”
Last weekend, the water-trained volunteer members of the Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team, alongside every other mountain rescue team in the North of England with such a capability, were on standby to respond to anticipated flooding events both in and out of the team’s local area.
The spokesperson said: “Thankfully other than very localised flooding there was minimal risk to properties and members were not deployed.”
The two teams have previously helped Northumbria police in searching for Jason Creighton who went missing from Cramlington in October. The incidents involved 13 volunteer members for six hours on 30 October, and 18 volunteer members for nine hours on 5 November.
On 7 November, the teams were called out at the request of the North East Ambulance Service to assist with a horse-rider who had taken a bad fall near to Capheaton Hall. Once at the scene the ambulance service determined mountain rescue help was not needed and the 11 volunteer members en route were stood down 20 minutes later.
