Incidents

2021

90/21 – 26/12/21

North Wales Police asked us to assist a woman at Loggerheads near Mold. She had suffered a lower leg injury in a fall. Team members attended and provided pain relief before splinting the injured leg. She was then evacuated using our stretcher and wheel, before finally being handed over to an ambulance crew waiting at the road.

We had some fantastic assistance from one of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley rangers who was one of the first people on scene. A member of the public also assisted by meeting us at the road end as we arrived and gave great directions to speed up our attendance.

89/21 – 19/12/21

North Wales Police called the team in the evening regarding a woman with a very painful ankle injury on Moel Famau. Team members provided pain relief and splinting, before she was transported off the hill in our Land Rover. She was then taken to hospital by a family member.

88/21 – 18/12/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance to recover the body of a person found deceased near Loggerheads. We used our specialist skills and equipment to complete this very sad task. Condolences from the team to family and friends of the deceased.

87/21 – 13/12/21

North Wales Police called the team regarding a missing person enquiry. After discussion it was agreed that there were no logical search areas for the team to deploy to and we stood down.

86/21 – 10/12/21

The second call on this date was to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with a man who was on the Clwydian Range above Ruthin. He had suspected back injuries. Team members used a vacuum mattress and stretcher to immobilise and package him for evacuation, before sledding and carrying him from the hill to a land ambulance. Initially a helicopter had been requested, but stretcher evacuation proved to be just as fast from that location. Thanks to the Coastguard Heli crew from Caernarfon for heading out on a rough night.

85/21 – 10/12/21

A driver became stranded on an offroad track in the Berwyn Mountains. North Wales Police asked us to assist him to a place of safety. We identified that our friends in the North Wales 4×4 Response Group would be well placed to assist and we stood by in case the person had left their vehicle and a search was needed, or if anything beyond first aid treatment would be required.

Local 4×4 Response members drove to the location, but as they arrived they found that some passing off road motorcyclists had just rescued the motorist.

Great joint working between Police, Mountain Rescue and 4×4 Response.

84/21 – 1/12/21

Request from the Welsh Ambulance Service to extract a patient. We were stood down early in the callout after other local resources completed the task.

83/21 – 29/11/21

Request to assist with a dog rescue from coastal mud. Referred to the Coastguard mud rescue team.

82/21 – 14/11/21

During the afternoon the team was called to assist a woman with lower leg and wrist injuries after a fall at Bryn Alyn, Eryrys, nr. Mold. Team members provided first aid, including applying a leg splint, before transporting her to a location where a friend could drive her to hospital.

81/21 – 9/11/21

We were asked by North Wales Police to assist a horse rider with a lower leg injury.
The rider had fallen in fields in the Vale of Clwyd and couldn’t be reached by ambulance.
We provided pain relief and splinted the leg before the casualty was evacuated to the road with the help of some local farmers.

Thanks to the rest of the riding group and the farmers for their help.

80/21 – 8/11/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance with the recovery of a man found deceased in Wepre Park, Connah’s Quay.

The Team wishes to express our condolences to his family and friends.

79/21 – 7/11/21

We were called by North Wales Police to assist with the search for a man missing from a rural area south of Llangollen. We also called SARDA Wales. As team members were travelling to the area the good news was received that the missing man had been found safe and well and we stood down.

78/21 – 26/10/21

North Wales Police asked us to provide assistance with a person missing from an area north of Wrexham. No ground search activity was required.

77/21 – 25/10/21

Provide assistance to the Welsh Ambulance Service to treat, package and stretcher a person injured in a fall on Hope Mountain.

76/21 – 24/10/21

Called by North Wales Police to assist a woman kayaker who had suffered an ankle injury while walking on the rocks near the Chain Bridge Hotel, Llangollen.

Team members provided first aid and pain relief and then used a rope system to protect an awkward stretcher carry up to the road where she was handed over to the Welsh Ambulance Service.

75/21 – 25/9/21

During the afternoon we were asked to assist a Wales Air Ambulance crew who needed help to move an injured mountain biker near Llangollen. As we were heading to the incident the good news came in that the casualty had been extracted and we stood down.

74/21 – 24/9/21

We were called by North Wales Police to assist an offroad motorcyclist who had badly injured his leg in an accident near Pontfadog, Cerriog Valley. Thanks to his fellow riders for their help with the stretcher carry.

73/21 – 19/9/21

A member of the public reported hearing cries for help while walking near Halkyn. After investigation we stood down without any ground searching as there were no reports of anyone overdue. False call with good intent.

72/21 – 19/9/21

We were called by Dyfed-Powys Police to assist with the evacuation of a severely injured mountain biker from near Llangynog.

While team members were on the way local resources managed to get the rider down to where they could be transferred to the care of the Wales Air Ambulance and we therefore stood down.

71/21 – 15/9/21

The team was called in the evening by North Wales Police to search for a missing person. Team members searched areas around Pontcysyllte for several hours aided by SARDA Wales. The search was suspended just before midnight after initial areas had been completed.

Early on the following day the good news was received that the missing person had been located safe and well, away from our search area.

70/21 – 12/9/21

Tasked by North Wales Police to assist a lady who had an ankle injury while walking down from the top of Castell Dinas Bran near Llangollen.

Team members provided pain relief and then stretchered her to the road for handover to a Welsh Ambulance Service crew.

69/21 – 12/9/21

One of our members was out for a walk in Llandegla Forest when he found a teenage mountain biker with a very painful shoulder injury after a mountain bike crash. He called the incident into North Wales Police who then called the team out.

Team members provided pain relief and then stretchered the casualty to our vehicle where he was brought back to the road, so he could be driven to hospital by a family member.

68/21 – 2/9/21

We were called by Dyfed-Powys Police regarding a missing 6 year old boy in a rural area of North Powys. We responded very quickly, calling on our partners SARDA Wales. However, within just five minutes of being called the good news came in that the boy had been found by Police Officers and we stood down.

67/21 – 29/8/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance with the search for a person missing from Holywell. Two SARDA Wales dog teams also deployed. Shortly after commencing the search the missing person was located by Police Officers outside our search area.

66/21 – 25/8/21

The team was called regarding a missing person enquiry in Prestatyn. We worked alongside SARDA Wales.

During planning for the search, news was received that further police enquiries meant our planned activity was not needed. Shortly afterwards the missing person was located safe and well.

65/21 – 16/8/21

The team was called earlier this afternoon following the report of an injured person at Wepre Park. Team members and two Landrovers then headed to the incident. As our first team members were arriving the good news came in that the casualty had been extracted by other more local resources and they were being transferred to hospital.

64/21 – 14/8/21

Shortly after 6pm we were called to assist with the evacuation of an offroad motorcycle rider who had been taking part in an organised event near Llanfyllin. The event medics and the Welsh Ambulance Service had attended to the casualty and the initial plan had been to airlift him from the remote location by helicopter. However low cloud had prevented access and we were called to evacuate by land.

Fortunately the weather improved and just after our first team members arrived at the road end another helicopter made an attempt to reach the scene and successfully evacuated the casualty.

63/21 – 13/8/21

Just as the first callout on Friday was being resolved a second call came in. A member of the public had observed apparently stationary torch lights high on the Llantysilio range and was concerned that someone might be in difficulty. Just as we started to make enquiries the good news came in that the lights were now “on the move” and heading down.

62/21 – 13/8/21

The team was called to assist two people who had become stuck in woodland in the dark near Meliden. A local team member was dispatched to collect them while other team members headed to the area in case a formal search was required. Fortunately the initial plan was successful and the two people were soon collected and returned to a safe place.

61/21 – 10/8/21

A woman injured her ankle while walking close to the bottom of the waterfall at Pistyll Rhaeadr and was unable to move. A small party departed our base by Landrover with the expectation that the stretcher carry would be very short.

While our rescuers where travelling to the scene an off duty Fire Fighter was able to assist the casualty to move back to the car park. Our team members then stood down.

60/21 – 6/8/21

Two boys became separated from their family group while walking near Moel Famau. As team members where deploying to start the search the good news was received that the group had managed to reunite and we stood down.

59/21 – 4/8/21

The team was called yesterday evening to a Mountain biker with a head injury on Eglwyseg mountain. He was treated by team members before being packaged to be airlifted to hospital.

58/21 – 2/8/21

In a very unusual case we were called to reports of two young women who were lost and one was injured. This was quickly identified as a hoax call which the Police then dealt with.

57/21 – 2/8/21

A family group became separated while on a walk around Llyn Alwen. Team members where enroute to commence searching when the good news was received that they had reunited and we stood down.

56/21 – 1/8/21

Dyfed Powys Police asked us to assist with a lady with an injured ankle near Pystyll Rhaeadr waterfall. Team members responded with two Landrovers. We stabilised the injury and then stretchered the casualty to our vehicle and drove her down to the road where she transferred for further care.

55/21 – 31/7/21

We were called to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with a teenager who had sustained multiple injuries while mountain biking at Llandegla. Team members packaged and carried the casualty to an open area, where a Coastguard helicopter crew could winch him from scene. He was then transferred to an Air Ambulance before being flown to hospital.

54/21 – 25/7/21

A man took a tumble while out on a walk near Nannerch and injured himself. Team members attended with two Landrovers. After an examination by one of our Casualty Carers, the casualty and his walking partner were able to get into our vehicle and they were both driven down the hill and returned to their vehicle for onward travel to hospital.

A big thank you to Mr and Mrs Hughes of Bryn-ffynnon farm who helped by guiding us to the best driving route to the incident site and for giving us tea!

53/21 – 22/7/21

Request to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service to move a patient from a rural location. Completed by WAST crew and members of the public as we were on the way.

52/21 – 11/7/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance with a missing person search. As we were commencing planning to deploy Police Officers located the missing person and we stood down.

51/21 – 11/7/21

This afternoon we assisted North Wales Police with the evacuation a person who was in distress in a rural area near Caergwrle, Wrexham.

50/21 – 1/7/21

Shortly before 9AM we were called to assist at an incident at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
A multi agency operation then took place to rescue and evacuate a casualty from the river below.
We worked alongside North Wales Police, North Wales Fire and Rescue, Welsh Ambulance Service and Wales Air Ambulance who arrived by road due to bad weather.

49/21 – 29/6/21

Just before 2AM the team was contacted regarding a missing person enquiry in the Wrexham area. As the initial information for our activity was being gathered, the good news was received that North Wales Police had located the missing person and we stood down.

48/21 – 27/6/21

Immediately after we were stood down from the Ruthin callout on Sunday, we were tasked to another mountain biker at Llandegla Forest. The first team members to arrive were able to provide assistance back to the car park and onward transport to hospital was arranged.

47/21 – 27/6/21

On Sunday afternoon we were called to assist a mountain biker near Ruthin. He was believed to have serious injuries. A local team member was able to get to the incident quickly while another group of team members travelled from base where our rope rescue training was just completing.
The first team member to arrive happily found that the injured male had in fact managed to make it back to the road and was going to be treated by ambulance. We therefore stood down… just in time for the next callout (see 47/21).

46/21 – 26/6/21

The team was called this afternoon to Llandegla Forest to evacuate an injured mountain biker. We used our mountain stretcher with wheel in support of two Welsh Ambulance Service crews.

45/21 – 22/6/21

In a somewhat unusual incident this evening, we were called to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service to evacuate an injured cyclist who was down an embankment next to the River Dee, on the cycleway that runs between Chester and Queensferry.

We worked alongside North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Wales Police.

44/21 – 16/6/21

North Wales Police called the team just before 9am today to assist with a missing person enquiry in the Cefn Mawr area near Wrexham. Our colleagues at SARDA Wales also attended. Shortly after our first team members arrived the good news came in that the missing person was found safe and well.

43/21 – 8/6/21

At 8:20pm on Tuesday we were called to assist at a multi agency incident in Denbigh. A casualty needed moving from a difficult to access location so they could be taken to hospital by helicopter.

42/21 – 8/6/21

Assisted North Wales Police to find a man missing in the Abergele area. Working as part of a large multi agency team, but specifically with SARDA Wales. The man was located safe and well.

41/21 – 5/6/21

At 11am we were called by the Welsh Ambulance Service to assist with a patient with a lower leg injury near Brynteg, Wrexham. One of our own team members was there in his “day job” as a paramedic, which meant we had grid references for the casualty location and the meeting point, plus an evacuation route, all worked out before the rest of us got there!

Team members packaged the casualty on our wheeled stretcher which then made the walk out to the road straightforward.

40/21 – 4/6/21

At lunchtime we were called to assist with the rescue of a young girl in a location south of Wrexham. She had fallen down a steep slope into shallow water and was injured. Our assistance was requested to get her out so she could be passed onto the Ambulance Service. While we were mobilising to the scene the good news came in that a North Wales Fire and Rescue Service crew had completed the rescue and we stood down.

39/21 – 2/6/21

In the afternoon we were called by North Wales Police to assist a woman who had fallen and injured her arm at Loggerheads. Team members arrived and splinted her arm and provided pain relief. She was then able to walk, with assistance, to one of our vehicles for a short drive back to the car park, where she went off to hospital by car.

While we were treating this patient a family arrived at the scene. A 5 year old girl had fallen off her bike and was distressed. After an examination and some calming words she was soon feeling better and was able to continue her day.

Two for the price of one! 🙂

Thanks also for help from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley rangers.

38/21 – 23/5/21

In the early hours of the morning we were asked by North Wales Police to assist with a missing person search near Rhuddlan.

With SARDA Wales, Rhyl Coastguard Rescue Team, RNLI Rhyl and others.
Stood down at 07:30 when the missing person was located safe and well outside of the immediate search area.

37/21 – 16/5/21

Late on Sunday evening the Welsh Ambulance Service requested our assistance with an injured person in a rural location North West of Corwen. Initially it was believed that he needed to be carried some distance to reach an ambulance.

Shortly after we mobilised to our base the good news came in that the casualty had been evacuated by local resources and we stood down.

36/21 – 9/5/21

Shortly after 4pm we were called to assist a group of mountain bikers near Moel Arthur. One had sustained a serious shoulder injury. We arrived at the same time as the Wales Air Ambulance. We found that in fact there were two casualties. The second had a leg injury.

The Air Ambulance doctor dealt with the shoulder injury and we stretchered the injured man a short distance down to the road. The other injured man was attended to by our team doctor. He was able to travel from the scene by personal vehicle.

The man with the injured shoulder was taken to hospital in our Landrover.
The party had made a valiant effort to self evacuate, with a makeshift stretcher being used by the group to get a long way down a steep slope and they had nearly made it to the road.

35/21 – 9/5/21

Provided additional search resources for a large scale missing person enquiry south of Bangor.

34/21 – 9/5/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance with a missing person enquiry in Buckley. Initially dog teams from SARDA Wales deployed. While this was happening one of our team members identified a personal connection to the missing person and was able to confirm where they had gone. Police officers were then able to locate them and we and SARDA stood down.

33/21 – 8/5/21

To assist an injured walker in the Berwyn mountains near Cynwyd. The initial information indicated that the incident was very serious and the team responded on blue lights, whilst organising a possible helicopter evacuation with the Coastguard.

However, as we were on the way the casualty recovered sufficiently to walk down to a waiting ambulance with the aid of a Welsh Ambulance Service First Responder and we stood down.

32/21 – 6/5/21

We were asked to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with an injured mountain biker at Llandegla Mountain Bike centre. We worked alongside North Wales Fire and Rescue Service to evacuate the casualty.

31/21 – 2/5/21

The team was called to assist a lady with a lower leg injury on a section of steep path in Wepre Park, Connah’s Quay. Our team doctor provided pain relief and splinted the injured limb, before the team stretchered her to the road, where we then took her to hospital in one of our Landrovers.

Thanks for the assistance from the Park Wardens and to the local farm owner for access across his fields which massively speeded up the extraction. Cows were very inquisitive!

30/21 – 2/5/21

Just after midnight we were asked to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service to reach a patient with a suspected head injury due to a fall. He was part of a group in woodland near Whitford, Holywell.
As we prepared to walk from the roadside to the incident site, the casualty was brought to our location by his friends and we were able to leave him with WAST and we stood down.

29/21 – 25/4/21

Assist the Welsh Ambulance Service to evacuate an injured mountain biker near Bodfari. The team put the casualty into a vacuum mattress and then carried him to a waiting ambulance.

28/21 – 22/4/21

We were called by North Wales Police regarding a person who was missing from their home in the Deeside area. We called our colleagues at SARDA Wales shortly afterwards.
During the initial planning for search activities, Police Officers located the missing person and we and SARDA stood down.

27/21 – 15/4/21

Assist the Welsh Ambulance Service with a fallen horse rider near Talacre. We carried the patient on a stretcher to a Coastguard helicopter for transport to hospital.

26/21 – 11/4/21

North Wales Police requested our help with a young person with a medical condition on a hillside above Meliden. The casualty was assessed and treated by one of our casualty carers and then evacuated by stretcher. Finally passing into the care of a Welsh Ambulance Service crew.

25/21 – 4/4/21

The team was called by Dyfed Powys Police following reports of a person injured on a walk in uplands near Llangynog. The team set off to assist and we then used some phone technology to get an exact location. It soon became clear that the stretcher carry would be very long and it was in the casualties best interest to be evacuated more swiftly. We therefore requested assistance from HM Coastguard and the aircraft from Caernarfon picked up the casualty and took them to hospital.

24/21 – 3/4/21

Earlier this evening Welsh Ambulance Service requested our assistance to evacuate a man from a footpath above Garth, Nr. Llangollen. He had sustained a lower leg injury and couldn’t move without assistance. The ambulance crew were already there and just needed our help to move him. Team members put him into our Casualty Bag and then onto our stretcher, before carrying him down to the waiting ambulance.

23/21 – 31/3/21

This afternoon a group was out exploring Wepre Park and Ewloe castle when a lady suffered a knee injury while right in the middle of the castle grounds.

Team members provided pain relief and splinting before the casualty was put on our stretcher and brought out down two flights of stairs, then around to a track behind the castle where she was handed over to a Welsh Ambulance Service crew for further treatment.

22/21 – 26/3/21

The team was called this afternoon by North Wales Police regarding a missing person enquiry in the Wrexham area. We alerted our colleagues at SARDA Wales and were just about to deploy when the good news came in that the missing person had been found.

21/21 – 24/3/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance with a water related incident today. The team was stood down when another agency attended and completed the task.

20/21 – 16/3/21

On Tuesday afternoon North Wales Police requested our assistance following multiple reports of a body of a dog in the river just downstream of the Sarn footbridge between Hope and Caergwrle.

We shared the same concern as NWP that eventually a member of the public would go into the fast flowing water to recover the body and this meant there was a future risk to life. As such we agreed it was appropriate for us to deploy our swift water rescue team members.

We arrived on scene and set up for recovery with two members in the river and down stream support.
However, when the two members got right up to the “body” it was found to be a very convincing plastic bag, complete with a tail wagging in the flow! See the picture below. We recovered the bag to stop the calls to NWP and to prevent someone else going in to find the same thing.

So a bit of practice for the SRT group and no harm done. We did all laugh…. best bit is no dead dog and no sad owner and we got some plastic out of the water course!

We’re not sure how to categorise the “victim” in the incident report. 🙂

19/21 – 13/3/21

The team was put on standby this afternoon to assist North Wales Police with a missing person enquiry. In the end we did not need to deploy and the missing person was located by Police Officers.

18/21 – 10/3/21

Earlier this evening North Wales Polive requested our assistance with a missing person enquiry in the Deeside area. We had just called out colleagues at SARDA Wales, when the good news came in that the missing person had been found safe and well by Police Officers.

17/21 – 28/2/21

Earlier this evening the team was called by North Wales Police to assist with a missing person enquiry in a rural area north west of Corwen. Fortunately the missing person was located safe and well as our First Responder was starting to plan our actions. We would have been calling SARDA Wales in the next few minutes to help too.

16/21 – 20/2/21

Earlier this evening North Wales Police requested our assistance with a search for a missing older person in the Rhuddlan area. As the team was mobilising the good news came in that they had been located safe and well and the team stood down.

15/21 – 25/1/21

Two young persons were reported stuck at the bottom of a steep slope next to a river near Minera. They had been sledging and were unable to get back out without assistance. Members of the public were able to retrieve them as we were about to deploy to assist.

14/21 – 23-25/1/21

North Wales Police requested our assistance to search for a missing man in the Wrexham area. Team members carried out extensive searches for two days in several areas, which included extremely slow and arduous work in dense woodlands.

On the first day we were assisted with search team members from Môn-SAR, Cheshire Search and Rescue and Merseyside Search and Rescue.

Despite all this work the missing man was not found and we stood down pending further police enquiries.

Three days later he was found safe and well, far from our search areas.

10-13/21 – 21/1/21

Thursday was another day of water rescue activity working with North Wales Police and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

First task was to evacuate a lady from a remote property near the River Dee, east of Wrexham Industrial Estate. It involved a team paddling our rescue raft for over half a mile to the house, across the massive area flooded by the river. Then the casualty was carefully collected and brought back to safety. Thanks again to a local man who provided tea!

Following this we were tasked to wait at a multi agency holding area in Holt. We carried out some door to door reassurance activity with NWP and NWFRS. Fortunately after several hours water levels slowly began to fall and we were stood down.

6-9/21 – 20/1/21

North Wales Police called us to assist North Wales Fire and Rescue Service with a number of incidents this evening.

These included:

Rescuing residents of flooded properties in New Broughton, Wrexham by use of our inflatable rescue sled.
Going door to door with Fire Fighters checking on other residents affected by flooding.
A rescue of a motorist from the roof of his car near Wrexham Industrial Estate Standing by to assist in other nearby areas.

A massive thank you to a couple of householders in New Broughton who provided hot drinks and biscuits for team members!

5/21 – 20/1/21

North Wales Police asked us to attend a vehicle in flood water near Corwen with a person reported stuck inside. We were stood down on the way as the person was extracted before we got there.
The area was significantly affected by surface water and river flooding.

4/21 – 15/1/21

North Wales Police requested our help with an incident on Meliden mountain. A lady had sustained a suspected broken ankle while out on a local walk from home.
Team members met with Police Officers and a Welsh Ambulance Service crew at the scene. The casualty was carried on our wheeled stretcher to the waiting ambulance.

3/21 – 10/1/21

On Saturday and Sunday we supported West Mercia Search & Rescue on a missing person search just into England at Chirk. As has now been publicly reported the body of a man was located late on Sunday morning. A sad end to the search.

Our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

We worked alongside teams from Cheshire Search and Rescue, Merseyside Search and Rescue, SARDA Wales and dogs from Staffordshire Search and Rescue Team, as well as West Mercia Police.

2/21 – 8/1/21

This afternoon two local people went for a walk from home. They became disorientated in an area north west of Moel Famau when the weather worsened with falling snow and very limited visibility.

They did the right thing and called North Wales Police so they could get assistance before the situation became very serious.

By using some phone tech we were able to identify their location and then provide guidance on how to find a way off the hill.

We had a local team member out for his own walk and he detoured to intercept them, along with sending two vehicles with team members as well.
Once found, they were escorted down to the safety of the vehicles and then returned home.
Moel Famau is of course a relatively simple hill to walk on in summer conditions, but the prevailing weather conditions made identifying the correct route very difficult and the deep snow was very tiring.

1/21 – 7/1/21

Working alongside NWP Rural Crime Team.
Our role was initially to assist with a potentially serious road traffic collision, with a vehicle some way off the highway. There was a need for rapid response and our NWP friends turned out with the best vehicles they had immediately available.

Fortunately they found that the motorist wasn’t seriously injured and we then stood down.
Just at this point the weather took a sudden turn for the worse and the NWP Officers found themselves at the top of a very big hill with snow over ice, so they then asked us to help get down safely.
Two of our vehicles then deployed with two team members. They carefully helped to clear the worst of the snow and ice using grit and shovels, so the police vehicles could be safely recovered.