1999 Incidents and Call Outs

51. 30^th December Search 22.30 hrs Ingol, Preston. A lady suffering from Alzheimer's Disease had walked out of a residential centre for the elderly, which had become her new home from just that afternoon, and had not returned. As she was unfamiliar with her surroundings, the Team was asked to urgently search surrounding fields and woodland in a bid to locate her. Despite several hours of searching, nothing was found. The lady was later found in Preston on her way back to her “home” in Manchester.

50. 28^th November Search 22.20 hrs Catforth. An elderly male was reported missing from home.  The Team was paged and as we were assembling it was confirmed that the gentleman had turned up safely back at his home.

49. 27^th November Search Blackburn. The Team Controllers were contacted by Lancashire Police regarding a missing 9-year-old boy in Blackburn. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale SRT, who mounted a search. Team remained on standby but not required.   

48. 21^ST November Search 12.39 hrs Little Hulton. Team asked to assist Bolton MRT in a search for a missing vulnerable elderly female.  As the Team assembled in Preston in readiness for travelling to Bolton, the search was called off.

47. 18^th November Search 22.30 hrs Burscough, West Lancashire. A middle-aged man with a Geordie accent had requested a glass of water from a local shop in order to take his 'medication'.  When staff returned with the water the gentleman had disappeared. A car with a registration plate indicating an owner from the North East was later found unattended in the shop car park.  Fearing the worst, Lancashire Police alerted the Team and asked us to search wide tracts of open farmland for the 'missing' gentleman. The search was called off at 03.30 after he walked into a police station in Chorley. (The medication was for a headache).

46. 14^th November First Aid 11.00 hrs Smelt Mill HQ, Trough of Bowland. A couple out walking in the Trough of Bowland were passing the Team's headquarters and availed themselves of our first aid capability!  Poorly fitting boots had caused an extremely large blister to form on the man's heel.  He was suitably treated and eventually felt comfortable enough to continue with the planned walk.

45. 13^th November Search 09.00 hrs Ince-in-Makerfield. Team requested to assist Bolton MRT in search for a missing elderly lady.  Despite our joint efforts over 7 hours the search was fruitless.

44. 12^th November RTA 22.15 hrs Dunsop Bridge, Trough of Bowland. Three young men. A car. A country road. Rain.  The car had skidded off the road and gone 30 ft. down a steep embankment before overturning.  Team members, including the Team doctor, were at our Smelt Mill Headquarters and were alerted to the situation by a local farmer.  After subsequently alerting the police a small Team was dispatched to the scene.  The three young men luckily suffered only minor injuries and were evacuated to Smelt Mill for further treatment and to await the arrival of Lancashire Ambulance personnel.

43. 7^th November Spot Pick Up 14:17 hrs  Dunsop Fell, Forest of Bowland. A middle-aged lady well equipped for fell walking, slipped and broke her ankle.  Team members were called to evacuate her to a waiting ambulance but as we arrived we were met by the sight of the 'lucky' lady being 'unloaded' from a farmer's quad bike which had been employed to bring her down the fell.

42. 2^nd November Search 08.00 hrs Gisburn Forest, Bowland. A search was launched for a middle-aged man, missing from his South Wales home for several weeks, after police in the vicinity of Gisburn Forest found his car.  Members of Bolton MRT and Rossendale SRT plus five S.A.R.D.A. dogs and handlers joined the Team in an exhaustive search of the forest.  The crew of the Lancashire Police helicopter also visually swept the area.  The search was called off after nearly 11 hours.  (The gentleman concerned turned up at his South Wales home a few days later - his car was still in Gisburn Forest).

41. 9^th October Search 13.35 hrs Whittingham near Preston. Lancashire Police requested assistance to search the area around Whittingham Hospital (again!) in order to locate another man suffering from depression who was last seen in the grounds.  Despite the presence of 4 search and rescue dogs and handlers from S.A.R.D.A. and exhaustive searching by other Team members nothing was found and the Team was stood down.

40. 30^th September Search 02.25 hrs Whittingham near Preston. The Team was called out to find a man in his seventies and on medication missing at night in the grounds of the former Psychiatric Hospital at Whittingham. As the Team assembled the gentleman was located elsewhere in the grounds.

39. 26^th September Safety Cover Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross Race, Yorkshire Dales. Attending to the safety of competitors and spectators on the fells at the request of the organisers, the Team treated two casualties - one for exhaustion and another for a broken collarbone.  The competitors were treated and evacuated from the fell into the care of Ambulance Service paramedics.

38. 16^th September Search 13.21 hrs Parlick Pike / Fairsnape Fell, Forest of Bowland. A group of autistic adults were being accompanied on a walk when the group took a break to watch gliders and hang gliders flying over Parlick Pike.  Unobserved by the leaders, one individual wandered off and by the time his absence had been detected was nowhere to be seen.  The Team was called and following sightings made by the Lancashire Constabulary Air Support Unit was able to locate the missing gentleman and escort him and the remainder of the party off the fell.

37. 12^th September Standby Search 00.10 hrs Hutton near Preston. A vulnerable middle-aged man, wearing only light clothing, had wandered from home.  The Team was called to standby for a 'first light' search.  In the event the gentleman returned home in the small hours and the Team was stood down.

36. 4^th September Search 17.00 hrs Houghton /Gregson Lane near Preston. A young man missing from home had instigated a prolonged, 4-day search involving police forces in Lancashire and Cumbria.  The Team was invited to join the search following receipt of further information and focused on the area in the vicinity of the missing youth's home.  He was found safe and well by Team members within an hour of our localised search commencing.

35. 8^th August First Aid Cover Adlington. The Team was asked to participate in a 999 / R.N.L.I. Day and to assist in the provision of first aid cover. There were no incidents to report. The Team is always willing to support such days as it provides the opportunity for the public to gain some insight into our work.

34. 8^th August First Aid Cover Fulwood. The Team was asked by the organisers of a 999 Services Day to participate and to provide safety cover throughout the day.  There were no incidents to report.

33. 7^th August Safety Cover Borrowdale Fell Race, Lake District. The Team has provided safety cover for this increasingly prestigious event since its inception 26 years ago. Team members treated several competitors for minor injuries such as cuts and turned ankles. One collapsed competitor was treated at Honister Pass and taken by Team transport to a waiting ambulance in Rosthwaite.

32. 6^th August First Aid Cover Beacon Fell Country Park, Forest of Bowland. The Team was requested by Lancashire County Council Ranger Service to provide first aid & safety cover during an Open Day at Beacon Fell County Park. There were no incidents to report.

31. 6^th August Search 14.30 hrs Fleetwood. The Team was asked to assist the Police in the search for a 67-year-old lady who had gone missing from a local home.  The Team searched open areas including sand dunes and Rossall School grounds in what proved to be a fruitless search.

30. 5^th August Search 17.25 hrs Bamber Bridge, Preston. An 82-year-old lady with a heart condition, staying with relatives in the Bamber Bridge area, had not returned home. A search of open land and countryside near the relatives home was instigated to no avail.  The lady was subsequently found safe and well at her own home address in Bury.

29. 1^st July Flood Evacuation 16.55 hrs Asterly Park, Chorley. Lancashire Police requested urgent assistance from the Team to evacuate vulnerable and possible trapped persons when the Royal Lancashire Show ground was deluged by a flash flood.  The Team responded very rapidly but fortunately the flood receded as quickly as it had formed and a potentially dangerous situation was averted.

28. 31^st June Standby Search / Advice 23.45 hrs Ingol, Preston. Assorted items of clothing and an empty inflatable dinghy were found by a water-filled sandpit - but nobody had been reported missing. Lancashire Police contacted the Team search controllers and advice given. Team was placed on standby for 6 hours but a search was not instigated.

27. 31^st June Search 07.00 hrs Ashton-under-Lyne. The Team was asked to assist Oldham SRT to locate a vulnerable partially sighted elderly lady who had been missing from home for several days.  Oldham Team and police officers had previously searched various areas. It is fair to say that hopes of finding her alive were not high.  The combined efforts of the ourselves, the local Team and Teams from Bolton, Rossendale, North East Wales plus the local police were rewarded when the lady was found alive, albeit badly dehydrated.

26. 26^th June Search 18.15 hrs Chorley.  64-year-old insulin-dependent diabetic man was reported missing from a hospital ward and staff were concerned for his safety.  It was considered likely that he had wandered into a large local park and could have become hypoglycaemic (and therefore confused or possibly unconscious).  The Team made a thorough search of the whole park but discovered nothing more than a courting couple (much to their embarrassment!). The gentleman concerned was later located on a road by the hospital.

25. 26^th June Spot Pick Up 15.45 hrs. Parlick Pike, Forest of Bowland. A 39-year-old man stalled his hang glider whilst flying over Parlick Pike, falling about 300 ft. He sustained possible spinal injuries and a broken arm.  Lancashire Air Ambulance was initially called but required assistance to evacuate the casualty to the landing site.  Team was called and facilitated the transfer to the helicopter.

24. 25^th June Spot Pick Up 16.30 hrs Parbold, West Lancashire. A female in her mid-twenties jumped into a shallow quarry lake from a height of approximately 60 feet sustaining severe back and leg injuries. Team called but Bolton MRT on exercise in the area and offered to attend the incident.  Team remained on standby for the duration of the evacuation.

23. 14^th June Search 23.30 hrs Penwortham. A 70-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's Disease was missing, having left home on a bike some time earlier. Lancashire Police requested a search to start at first light. The Team was organised for a start at 04.30 but fortunately was not required after the gentleman turned up safe and well in Longton.

22. 6^th June Advice 07.00 hrs Blackburn. The Team Controllers were contacted by Lancashire Police regarding a missing 7-year-old boy in Blackburn. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale SRT. Team put on standby but not required.

21. 15^th May Search 03.05 hrs Blackburn. Lancashire Police requested urgent assistance to search for a missing male, possibly suicidal.  They had experienced difficulty contacting Rossendale SRT and the Team was requested to initiate the search.  The Team was recalled when the missing gentleman was found safe and well.

20. 14^th May Search 06.28 hrs Beacon Fell Country Park, Forest of Bowland. Ignoring the midnight to 06.30 curfew in operation at Beacon Fell Country Park, five young men drove their car to the Visitors' Centre car park where one young man got out at 03.30 to 'answer the call of nature'.  He did not return.  Following a belated call by his friends to the police, the Team was called out to search the area. Despite two sweeps by the Police helicopter and eight hours of searching by the Team (over 250 man-hours!) nothing was found.  However at 15.35 a man walked into Blackpool Police Station to say that he had just got out to go to the toilet when his friends drove away and he hadn't seen them since...  Mmm!

19. 5^th May Advice 13.15 hrs Dunsop Bridge, Trough of Bowland. A walker, without map or compass, was found disorientated in Langden Intake on the Trough Road. He had undertaken a walk that morning from Fell Foot near Chipping and had intended to walk around Parlick Pike, Fairsnape and Saddle Side. His only means of navigation appeared to be the information boards erected by Lancashire County Council on the fell.  He was settled by Team members and advised of the appropriate route back to Fell Foot.  His progress was monitored until his safety was assured.

18. 2^nd May Spot Pick Up 13.20 hrs Beacon Fell Country park, Forest of Bowland. A 14-year-old male tripped whilst running and injured his knee. The Team arrived to find that his friends had already evacuated him down to the road. His injury was treated and the boy made comfortable prior to him going to hospital.

17. 1^st May Spot Pick Up 14.40 hrs Parlick Pike, Forest of Bowland. A male member of a walking party slipped and injured his ankle.  Although his friends were helping the injured man off the fell, Lancashire Ambulance Service requested that the Team be placed on standby.  Team members were stood down after an hour.

16. 28^th April Search 19.05 hrs Chorley. A vulnerable 16-year-old girl, under close supervision at a local hospital, had absented herself from care.  The Team was asked to search open land around the hospital and a local park.  As the search was started, the young lady was spotted on a nearby road by a member of the public who had been alerted by an earlier 'sky shout' issued from the Lancashire Police Air Support Unit helicopter.

15. 25^th April Search 12.03 hrs Horton-in-Ribbledale, Yorkshire Dales. Continuing incident 14. During the race, a 10-year-old boy became separated from his parents who were spectators. Following a search of the local area by the parents and other spectators, the Team, together with members of the Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO), were asked to assist and the search area widened.  The youngster was subsequently found unharmed in virtually the same spot that he had last been seen. A mystery.

14. 25^th April Safety Cover Three Peaks Fell Race, Yorkshire Dales. The Team again provided fell safety cover for the Three Peaks Fell Race.  One competitor stumbled and fell, sustaining cuts to his hand and injuring his shoulder.  His injuries were treated on the spot.

13. 16^th April Search 09.10 hrs Longridge. Another missing 14-year-old boy! This young man had run off following a family row and had not returned home overnight. Following an unsuccessful helicopter sweep, Lancashire Police requested that the Team search an area where they considered it likely that the lad might be either hiding or in distress.  As the comprehensive six-hour search neared completion, Police informed the Team that the boy had turned up fit and well at an address in Preston.

12. 2^nd April Search 12.45 hrs Chorley. The Team was requested to assist in the search for a lady missing from home.  Whilst the Team was assembling, the incident was resolved and the Team stood down.

11. 20^th March Advice 23.30 hrs Great Harwood, East Lancashire. The Team Controllers were contacted by Lancashire Police regarding a missing vulnerable 14-year-old boy. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale SRT. Team put on standby but not required.

10. 17^th March Search 12.25 hrs Chorley. A dog returning unattended from a walk prompted a call for assistance to look for a 37-year-old female walking in open countryside near Chorley. As the Team was assembling the lady turned up fit and well.

9. 6^th March Safety Cover Fiensdale Fell Race, Forest of Bowland. Team members were on standby throughout the duration of the race.  There were no incidents requiring our assistance.

8. 5^th March Search 11.00 hrs Mawdsley. The Team was asked to assist Lancashire Police in a search for a missing vulnerable 50 year old female.  This was not the first time that this lady had been missing and she had previously been found in her 'favourite places'.   Team members searched a large tract of open countryside, including the known favoured haunts of the lady whilst the police helicopter searched around the village, issuing several 'sky shouts'.  The search proved fruitless and the Team was stood down.  The lady was located in Southport the following day.

7. 27^th February Spot Pick Up 16.54 hrs Dinkley near Chipping, Forest of Bowland. A 37-year-old male slipped whilst climbing over a stile and dislocated his shoulder. The Team was requested to locate and transfer the injured man to a waiting ambulance.

6. 7^th February Advice 14.30 Hrs Sabden. The Team were contacted by Lancashire Ambulance Service to assist in dealing with a man injured after falling from his horse. As this is not the Teams normal area of operation the call was passed to our neighbouring Team, Rossendale SRT. Team remained on standby

5. 7^th February Spot Pick Up 14.00 hrs Helvellyn, Lake District. Two Team members were climbing near Red Tarn under Helvellyn when a man, a Lake District Ranger, fell down the face from the summit, coming to rest 20m from their position.  He had sustained major injuries to his pelvis with associated head and chest injuries.  Immediate casualty care was performed and Patterdale MRT alerted.  The man was subsequently evacuated by RAF Sea King helicopter to hospital in Barrow.

4. 4^th February Search 10.40 hrs Preston. A vulnerable 14-year-old male was reported missing from home. The Team joined Lancashire Police Underwater and Air Support Units in searching rural areas adjacent to a canal. The young man returned home, having witnessed the search activities in the area where he was hiding.

3. 28^th January CUSTODY OF UNEXPLODED BOMB! 12.05 hrs Great Hill, Anglezarke. The Team was asked to locate an unexploded bomb reported by a walker. Two Team members (one with extensive armament experience) were dispatched to the area and found the 50-year-old mortar shell, ensured the public were kept at a safe distance  and subsequently passed responsibility for it to an Army Bomb Disposal Team.

2. 27^th January Search 19.10 hrs Whittingham near Preston. The Team was asked to assist Lancashire Police in a search for a missing diabetic male aged 74 who also suffered from dementia.  After searching the grounds of Whittingham Hospital, a place often visited by the missing gentleman, the Team was stood down when he was found fit and well elsewhere. The first of a number of searches this year to this former Psychiatric Hospital.

1. 10^th  January Search 01.00 hrs Coppull near Chorley. A wheelchair-bound man was missing from home on a very cold night.  He was found, within 5 minutes of a search being initiated from the place last seen (PLS), lying on the ground adjacent to his wheelchair. He had taken a short cut across rough ground and had fallen from his chair.  He was treated for mild hypothermia and taken to hospital by ambulance.