Team rescues man swept downstream in Windermere

A SOUTH Cumbria resident had a lucky escape after being dragged into a raging beck and swept 200 yards downstream.

Bay Search and Rescue Team managed to save the man in Windermere, after he held on to branches to stop himself from being swept under a bridge.

The crew operating the Hagglund, a tracked all-terrain truck, pulled the man out of the water on Saturday and treated him for cuts and abrasions.

Gary Parsons, of the Flookburgh-based team, said he had a “very lucky escape”.

Volunteers and crews across south Cumbria have been carrying out rescues throughout Cumbria, helping communities hit by Storm Desmond.

Bay Search and Rescue Team, south Cumbria mountain rescue teams and fire crews have been among those helping people in abandoned cars, carrying out swift water rescues and evacuations in south Cumbria and in the worst-hit areas of Keswick and Carlisle.

Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association has a coordinated approach, sending mountain rescue teams to where they are needed across the county, as well as in their immediate communities.

Lakeland mountain rescue teams have sent members who are swift water technicians to Carlisle to work collectively with other mountain rescue members from Cumbria and other parts of the UK, firefighters, police ambulance services, the Environment Agency and United Utilities.

Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team were involved in helping people safely evacuate a coach caught in the flood waters at Thirlmere.

Coach passengers and team members were airlifted out of the area.

One of the team’s Land Rover vehicles got stuck at Thirlmere due to a collapsed road.

Roger Pickup, deputy leader of Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team, said: “This has been one big coordinated approach in Cumbria. The teams have been fantastic.

“There has been an exceptional amount of water and it had also rained heavily for weeks before this and flood defences have been exceeded.”

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team members have also been assisting the efforts in Carlisle. Locally, they have been transporting carers through impassable roads.

South Cumbria fire crews have also been busy with call-outs, helping people from across the area, including rescues around Levens. Cumbria’s crews were working with partner agencies around the county and firefighters from other parts of the UK.

The Fire Brigades Union raised concern at the “serious underfunding” of the fire and rescue service as it responds to floods and other emergencies as a result of Storm Desmond.

The FBU said the ability of the service to respond to incidents over the weekend had been affected by the cuts and called on the prime minister to reverse them.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said the firefighters were doing fantastic work tackling the impact of the storm and were “essential” in keeping people safe.

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