HorseRiding

At 13:20 hours today our Team Leader was contacted directly by NWAS (Lancashire) Control regards the teams assistance at a reported incident in Lever Park, Rivington of a child injured in a horse riding accident.

The location was not immediately known other than in the general area of the Great House Barn, Rivington.

Ten team members engaged on rope work training at the nearby Cadshaw quarry were able to make an immediate response, alongside 4 members already present at our Lady Bridge Hall Base HQ.

A full team page was sent at 13:24 to RVP in the Great House Barn area (known locally as the Bottom Barn).

As our first Mountain Rescue LandRover Ambulance arrived on scene along with our Team Leader we received the information to stand down, as the responding ambulance has met up with the casualty and his party.

The North West Air Ambulance Helimed 08 was also called to this incident and stood down on scene overhead the incident location.

In total 23 team members responded to this incident, with 4 stood down on scene and the other 19 stood down responding.

At 14:19 today, NWAS (GMA) PEC paged the team for assistance with a horse rider who had become dismounted, suffering a hip injury in the Ashton Upon Mersey area of Sale.

The 10 members from the previous incident were immediately despatched to the location to assist the NWAS Urmston ambulance station vehicle already on scene.

Upon arrival at the RVP which was the entrance to Stretford Water Treatment Works in the Ashton Upon Mersey area, it was established that the 36 year old female horse rider was lying injured on the path alongside the nearby River Mersey.

Surmounting and going through gaps in the security fence surrounding the water treatment works, team members were able to gain access to the thrown horse rider, who had a hip injury.

Team members prepare a stretcher to carry the casualty.

As they were preparing to stretcher evacuate the horse rider to the waiting ambulance, using contacts the team has with United Utilities, a United Utilities employee who had been contacted by the team turned up in time to open up both the main works access gate and an entry gate in boundary fence, enabling the NWAS ambulance to be driven almost straight to the casualty site.

The casualty who was also suffering from the cold was then lifted into the ambulance by team members who undertook a very short carry.

The casualty is loaded onto the NWAS ambulance by BMRT personnel and the NWAS crew.

At 13:12 NWAS (GMA) PEC contacted our Team Leader direct by mobile phone regarding access into Moses Gate Country Park concerning at 25 year old female horse rider who had become dismounted and reportedly suffered back injuries.

In consultation with NWAS it was then decided to mobilise the team with a full pager callout at 13:18, to the “Red Bridge” area of Moses Gate Country Park, Farnworth, Bolton.

20 team members and team vehicles were en-route with our first member about to arrive on scene at the incident location (our Team Leader) when at 13:29 the team was stood down as the responding NWAS Emergency Ambulance crew had determined that the young woman was only suffering from soft tissue injuries.

At 14:39 today, Lancashire Ambulance Service requested the team’s attendance at a horse riding accident in Rivington. A 15 year old girl from Blackrod, riding with a companion in the vicinity of Rivington Hall Drive in Lever Park, was unseated from her horse which then apparently fell onto the young rider.
Two team vehicles were able to immediately respond to the request for assistance and arrived on scene 10 minutes after receipt of the call out, followed by an Emergency Ambulance from LAS.

In view of the possible seriousness of the young rider’s injuries the North West Air Ambulance Helimed 08 also attended.

A team member marshalls the Helimed 08 landing zone at the scene of the incident.

On scene the rider was treated jointly by the team, LAS and the Helimed crew for possible internal, spinal and leg injuries, before being airlifted from the scene at 15:42 by Helimed for the very quick direct flight to Royal Preston Hospital for emergency treatment.

Team members, the Helimed 08 crew, and LAS Paramedics prepare to load the casualty onto the Helicopter.

This incident illustrates yet again the excellent joint working relationship the Bolton MRT has with Lancashire Ambulance Service and the North West Air Ambulance.

At 12.58 the team was paged by LANCON FIM (Force Incident Manager) to respond to a Lancashire Ambulance request with regards to a Horse rider who had come to grief in Rivington.

22 team members responded in three team vehicles, with our Deputy Leader and others who live nearby, arriving on scene very quickly, within 10 minutes of getting the incident location. The 48 year old female, an experienced horse rider, had been riding in the company of another rider when her horse unseated her and she fell injuring her pelvis and lower back.

During this response, LAS requested our assistance at another incident reported to them in Rivington, and the team member’s response to this particular incident was split as some members went to this second incident (see incident 27/2006).

The location of the injured horse rider was on the bridlepath network to the rear of Rivington Hall Barn at the foot of Rivington Terraced Gardens, and team members along with the responding LAS crew treated the woman’s injuries by the use of a back splint, long board and head blocks. She was then transported on a stretcher in the rear of our BM2 Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance which had gained nearby access, and this was able to bring her down to the waiting LAS vehicle at Rivington Hall Barn.

Because of the possible serious nature of the woman’s injuries it was decided to utilise the North West Air Ambulance Helimed 08, which had also been called to the incident, to air evacuate her to Royal Preston Hospital.

Team members prepared to load the casualty into Helimed 08.

Team members and the LAS crew carried the woman on a stretcher to the nearby landing point of the helicopter, which then took off at 14.25 for the short journey by air to Royal Preston Hospital.

We understand from the woman’s family that upon full examination in hospital it was established that she had fortunately not suffered any broken bones, but with soft tissue and bruising injuries she is likely to stay in hospital for a short while. The whole team sends their best wishes for a full recovery.

Thanks are also expressed to the members of the public who initially stayed with this horse rider until the emergency services arrived, and provided much comfort and support.