On Wednesday 28th August 2021 at 12.58hrs Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called to a 51 year old male who had collapsed near Hart Crag, Hartsop. The man had been walking with his wife and two friends when he suddenly collapsed. Friends and other walkers who were passing quickly commenced CPR on the gentleman.

Due to the remote location and the nature of the incident the Duty Leader requested an Air Ambulance as well as a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter to assist. The Great North Air Ambulance flew to the scene and due to weather conditions landed a short distance from the casualty. Unfortunately the man was pronounced deceased by the helimed medics a short time after their arrival.

The man had suffered a suspected heart attack. Team members travelled to the scene on foot and assisted the helimed crew in the evacuation of the man to the air ambulance which transferred him to the Patterdale team base, along with his wife. The coastguard helicopter at this point had been re-directed to another incident in the Snowdon area.

Once again the team would like to thank the Great North Air Ambulance for their swift response and valuable assistance for this rescue, and also the Coastguard for their initial response.

The Team’s 2021 incident attendance register records this callout as “Fatal heart attack on Hart Crag”. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

The Team were contacted by Cumbria Police at 14.13hrs Sunday 02/05/2021 requesting assistance to a man in his forties who was near the Bad Step on Striding Edge. He had suffering a panic attack after negotiating the ridge and was unable to go any further.

The Team Duty Leader contacted the man and his partner by phone and provided reassurance and suitable advice. The couple were eventually able to continue and ascended onto Helvellyn summit. They remained in contact and were monitored whilst they descended onto Lower Man then down to Greenside and Glenridding. The incident involved 1 team member and lasted 5 hours.

The Team’s 2021 incident attendance register records this callout as “Chest pain on Swirral Edge”. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

At lunch time on Sunday 21st of March the team were tasked to a gentleman from the Penrith area who had collapsed whilst out walking with his family. As the team began to assemble at the base of Mell Fell one of the advanced party located the man, along with his family, descending the fell.

After being treated by two of the teams doctors the gentleman was transferred to an Ambulance for transport up to CIC. The incident lasted 2 hours and involved 14 team members.

In the early hours of Saturday 6th February, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out to assist an individual with chest pains, who was camping on Red Screes above Kirkstone Pass. Whilst the Team were making their way to the casualty, an experienced team member fell roughly 150m down steep ground, sustaining significant injuries.

The team member was airlifted to hospital by the HM Coastguard Helicopter, and remains in a serious condition. Penrith and Langdale Ambleside Teams were called in to support and the original patient was stretchered from the hill by the teams involved and taken to hospital by the North West Ambulance Service. Thanks go to the support provided by the HM Coastguard.

No one sets out on the fells with the intention of having an accident, and our thoughts are also with the original caller who became ill whilst camping on the fells. However, the simple truth is that the more people who are out walking in the Lakeland fells, the higher the chances that our mountain rescue teams will be called out.

Rescues are much more challenging during the coronavirus pandemic; our team members need to operate in PPE, and many of our volunteers also have full time jobs as key workers in the NHS and other essential services. We are very grateful to the very many people who have chosen to stay local for exercise during this time, and would encourage everyone to follow the government guidance currently in place.” This is clearly a very difficult time for the family of the injured team member, and for members of Patterdale Mountain Rescue team, and we are asking that their privacy is respected.

Mike Blakey, operational lead for the twelve rescue teams of the Lake District and a Patterdale Team member said: ‘I cannot stress enough the message to stay at home during lockdown. This rescue, and the subsequent life changing injuries incurred by our team member, were avoidable. Rescue team members are volunteers who train extensively to rescue others in the most atrocious weathers and in inhospitable places.

However, the risks are always there and the impact of an incident like this is far reaching across the rescue and emergency services family. ‘On behalf of the casualty’s family I would like to formally thank everyone involved in the rescue of our team member, including the medics and helicopter crew, and the amazing support he has received so far since being admitted to hospital.

Of course our priority is now to support him and his family.’