Jun 16 2013

Incident 73/2013

At 14.53hrs our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE was contacted directly by NWAS (Lancashire) EOC Broughton / Helimed Airdesk despatcher, to request that the team attend an incident involving a male mountain biker with a serious shoulder injury on the ‘Roddlesworth’ side of Darwen Moor.

The North West Air Ambulance ‘Helimed 72’ from City Airport Manchester, was also en route.

With team members present providing Standby Rescue Cover for the ‘Horwich Festival of Racing,’ (See website report below) an immediate response was made, with our BM3 Mountain Rescue Land Rover Ambulance with five team members on board, going mobile at 14.55hrs.

Alongside our Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE and our Deputy Team Leader Geoff Seddon, who also responded, our BM3 arrived at the incident location roadside RVP at 15.12hrs.


The 32 years old male involved, from Darwen, an experienced mountain biker, had come to grief whilst riding in the company of a companion, on the Lyons Den track, which leaves the Tockholes road and heads up on to Darwen Moor.

Thankfully Helimed 72 had managed to land earlier near to the casualty, and as our Land Rover headed up the moorland track, the casualty was able to walk with aid downhill the short distance to Helimed 72.

The male had sustained a suspected fractured right Clavicle, and also had head and back cuts and grazes.

Helimed 72 lifted off at 15.33hrs with the casualty on board for the short flight to Royal Blackburn Hospital.

A responding NWAS (Lancashire) Emergency Ambulance was stood down en route.

Team member Mark Scott rode the injured mans mountain bike back to Roddlesworth Information Centre, alongside the injured mans companion who had made the initial 999 call.

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