Will hoey

[Old Speckled Hen]

It's lashing with rain, and the wind is howling.

OH is a Mountain Rescue volunteer and he's out looking for some missing people in Langdale.

Fingers crossed for all of them.

[redhotchick]

I saw this on the news.

I hope everyone gets home safely.

[Cate in NZ]

Wow, I am always stunned by the courage and selflessness of people who do jobs like that, usually in their own time and in an entirely voluntary capacity.

I truly hope that your OH, the team and the folks he was out rescuing all got back safely in what sounds like foul weather conditions.

It must be a dreadfully worrying time for you each time he gets called out too.

[Egluntyne]

Couldn't believe it when I saw the news last night.

Fingers crossed here.

[BeckyBoo]

Goodness, hope your OH got back safely and with good news, I'm off to check the news as I haven't seen it yet.

Full of admiration and respect for anyone who does that - truly brave and selfless

 

Mrs B

 

Edited to say I've just looked at the news, WOW, I thought you meant he was looking for one or two walkers! The weather conditions were said to be absolutely the worst in 40 years, I really really hope it's good news all round this morning

[Old Speckled Hen]

Thanks for all your best wishes.

 

He got home safe and sound at 7 am after 8 hours out and I've tucked him into bed.

They all work as a team and look after eachother so usually I'm not too bothered but last night was such a foul night.

 

The team's Search and Rescue dog found three huddled and hypothermic in the hills having earlier been unable to find their way across a beck that had become a raging torrent.

[Lesley]

I saw the news last night - why on earth did they set off in the first place!!! BBC said they were advised to cancel the race?

 

I hope your OH is safe and all the runners/walkers found a safe place for the night.

 

I'm in Anglesey and the weather on this side of the country was evil yesterday - so wet and hardly able to stand against the wind.

 

edit: - sorry, cross posted. I'm glad all is well.

[The Dogmother]

Phew, I bet you were worried - it was pretty vile here yesterday, so I can only imagine what it was like in Cumbria

[Paola]

I do hope that they find the rest of the runners all safe today

[jackiepoppies]

So glad he is back safe.

 

Is it just me, or does anyone else think these people, who insist on putting themselves in obvious danger, and therefore their potential rescuers, are self centred, selfish stupid idiots?

The organisers are supposedly responsible people They should have cancelled it.

 

Jackiex

[Lisa]

I am so pleased that your OH and his team made it back safely. It must be such a rewarding thing to do but that doesn't make it any easier waiting for news at home .

[BeckyBoo]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think these people, who insist on putting themselves in obvious danger, and therefore their potential rescuers, are self centred, selfish stupid idiots?

The organisers are supposedly responsible people They should have cancelled it.

Jackiex

 

I agree, and I don't. What is the point in setting a challenge if it doesn't challenge you? I'm sure that Mountain Rescue people are only good enough to rescue people because they themselves have been out in terrible conditions and have enjoyed the hell of it and the getting home safely. From what I've read (and it's only what I've seen on the news and stuff, no inside information) none of the entrants were novices, they were all well prepared, they had food, shelter etc. Yes they were caught out as the weather was worse than expected, but, and it's only my opinion, you might as well say you'd better not drive a car in case you crash and someone has to come and save you.

You can minimise risks, and maybe the weather was too bad and it should have been cancelled, but all 2500 entrants had the option to pull out, they were the ones out in it, and they chose to continue.

I'm undecided, then again it's not my OH out there in the dark and howling gale trying to find them, maybe I'd think differently if it was. I'd be interested to hear what DA's OH says on the matter.

 

Mrs B

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Why do my posts keep disappearing . I posted a few last night and they've all gone .

 

Anyway, I'm very glad to hear that your OH is back safe and sound. What a brave man he is, I take my hat off to people like him .

 

It was unfortunate the event wasn't cancelled but I suppose they didn't realise quite how bad it was going to get. At least all the entrants would have been very fit, experienced and knew how to look after themselves on the hills in all weathers (you'd hope so, anyway ).

[Old Speckled Hen]

I'd be interested to hear what DA's OH says on the matter.

 

Mrs B

 

Thanks for all your kind thoughts.

 

Generally the people who need Rescue have been victims of accidents and it is only rarely that the teams have to come to the aid of badly equipped walkers etc; but you'd be surprised at the number of young lads who party on the mountains then want a lift home when they are to drunk to stagger down, but then a drunk hiker might be a dead one.

 

My DH doesn't think this weekend's Mountain Marathon needed to be cancelled as by the time the decision was made most competitors were up on the hill. All of them are experienced at coping with just these conditions and as I write there are only three unaccounted for, and yes members of rescue teams do enter such competitions......

 

What really gets my goat is the number of times they have had to risk their lives looking for people who have left a suicide note then disappeared into the hills. On one occasion the team were out for three days before they found the body!!!!

 

Oh well, he's home safe planting heathers in the garden, let's hope the pager is quiet for a while.

[Egluntyne]

Good to hear that he is safely tucked up.

 

I agree.....the race should have been cancelled as severe weather was expected.