PRAWLE Point Coastguard rescue team were called into action to help an injured walker last week - in the Yorkshire Dales.

?Four members of the team had travelled to Clapham in North Yorkshire to assist the casualty care exam for the Cave Rescue Organisation and Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association. The training culminated with a practical exam, held underground at White Scar Cave, Ingleborough on Friday night.

?Dave Halsall, the deputy station officer at Prawle is a former member of the Cave Rescue Organisation and has regularly travelled up from the South Hams to act as a casualty.

?This year he took three colleagues with him to act as ’fresh’ casualties, and to have a look at the techniques used by the team in rope rescue situations. It was while practising some of these techniques on Saturday that it was reported that a 69-year-old woman who had been walking in fields near the River Aire in Airton had slipped and broken her ankle.

?Two cave rescue vehicles drove to the incident along with the Prawle team. However, on arrival at the incident there was a call to another injured walker.

?The local team was split, and the Prawle team of station officer Steve Wonnacott, Dave Halsall, Rob Dixon and Josh Gardner were asked to assist in the evacuation of the first casualty. Both teams worked together to carry the equipment across the fell, administer first aid and then stretcher the casualty back across the fell to the waiting road ambulance.

?Phil Jam, the cave rescue duty controller said: ‘After carrying out first aid and splinting the injury, the casualty was stretchered to an ambulance at Town End Farm shop in Airton for transport to Airedale Hospital.’

?Steve Wonnacott, Prawle Point station officer said: ‘On the rescue the two teams worked well together to get the casualty over some difficult terrain to the ambulance. We have the same stretcher handling techniques but we don’t often work in a snow storm in the South Hams!’

?Phil Jam, duty controller from the CRO, who coordinated the rescue said: ‘A big thank you to Dave, Steve, Josh and Rob from the cliff rescue team, who gave up their time to ensure that our team members received the best quality casualty care training and rigorous examination, to enable us to provide the best possible care to those injured above or below ground. It was a bonus to have them on hand for the rescue.’

?Steve Wonnacot added: ‘It was multi-agency working at its best and we have all learnt a lot of the others’ capabilities. We hope to be able to get back there next year.’