Mountain rescue teams called in to help injured walker on Tinto Hill, Lanarkshire.

Luckily many of the team were already gathered at Moffat Town Hall for the return of their Coffee Morning event therefore we were able to mount a quick response.

Eleven members of the team responded to the callout and given the location of the casualty and potential need in previous callouts to carry the casualty from the hill, Tweed Valley MRT were also asked to assist responding with seven team members.

The teams all met at a prearranged point alongside the Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team (SORT) with Strathclyde Police MRT also mobilising to the incident.

It was quickly decided by the control team that a helicopter would be required and HM Coastguard Rescue 199 was ask to respond.

While two members of Moffat MRT approached the casualty’s location, the SORT team deployed their Wolverine all-terrain vehicle with a Moffat MRT member on board. The rescuers arrived at the scene closely followed by the helicopter, with the Wolverine vehicle arriving with a helpful local farmer guiding their route.

The casualty was assessed and pain relief administered before being packaged into a stretcher. Due to strong winds R199 was unable to safely winch the casualty therefore the decision was made to transport the casualty via the all-terrain vehicle to the helicopter which had landed safely on the summit.

Moffat and Tweed MRT members prepared equipment in case the helicopter was unable to transport the casualty or if it was redeployed. Additionally, MRT members identified and cleared a landing site for the helicopter to safely land near to the Tinto Hill car park.

The casualty was then flown down to the landing site where they were transferred to a Scottish Ambulance Service crew and MRT Medics for further management of their injuries and subsequent transfer to hospital.

Please help and support the team by making a donation to the team via JustGiving at: www.justgiving.com/mmrt or consider entering their Charity Challenge Event in June. See more at:www.moffatmrt.org.uk/events/charity-challenge-2024/​​