The rescue scene at the crag in Kyloe in the Wood. Photo: NNPMRT

A fallen rock-climber was among three people rescued by Northumberland teams in separate incidents over the bank holiday weekend.

Northumberland National Park and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Teams have dealt with 13 incidents in the past two weeks.

Iain Nixon, team leader for Northumberland national park team, said: “Late Sunday afternoon we received a request from the North East Ambulance Service to assist in the rescue of a fallen rock-climber at Kyloe in the Wood crag, North of Belford.

“Given the potential seriousness of the incident, we immediately deployed resources in our team vehicles on blue lights and called the teams out.”

The mountain rescue volunteers, along with the community paramedic and ambulance crew made their way to the crag, where the climber was with his companions. After immobilising the injured man, the team carried him a short distance to the waiting ambulance.

The incident involved nine mountain rescue team members for just over 2¾ hours, with a further eight members stood down en-route to the scene.

The previous day, the teams were called out twice. The first, in the morning, was to help a walker who fell and sustained a leg injury in Thrunton Woods.

“The family who was with her did the right thing and dialled 999, asked for Northumbria Police who then activated mountain rescue,” a team spokesperson said. “A team vehicle was swiftly deployed and once the casualty was treated by the community paramedic, mountain rescue volunteers were able to carry her to the nearby ambulance.”

In the afternoon, another walker sustained a lower leg injury whilst descending Scald Hill in the Cheviots.

The spokesperson said: “Again, the help of mountain rescue was requested and the volunteers were immediately called out to assist. Fortunately, as the teams were travelling, information came through that a local estate worker had managed to pick the lady up in their 4×4 and transported her back to the valley where she was treated.”

The incident involved eight team members for an hour.

Mr Nixon said: “All the incidents out in the hills and forests or on the crags around Northumberland have been genuine accidents and could happen to anyone no matter how experienced or well equipped.

“Last year and this year we have seen a significant increase in people venturing outdoors and into the hills for leisure time activities – walking, running, cycling and so on. It is great that people are getting outside for exercise and all we ask is that if people head to hills they do so safely and follow the Adventure Smart guidance.

• “Do you have the right gear?
• Do you know what the weather will be like?
• Are you confident that you have the knowledge and skills for the day?”