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06
Oct
Climber rescued after arm gets trapped at Brimham Rocks
Volunteer rescuers came to the aid of a man whose arm got stuck at Brimham Rocks, near Pateley Bridge.
Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association helped the 28-year-old lead climber when his hand and arm became jammed in a crevice.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service summoned the help of the association at 1.44pm on Thursday (October 13). The fire service's incident report said:
A crew from Summerbridge responded to a report of a climber who had become stuck approximately one metre from the top of a rock after their arm got trapped in a crevice.
Mountain rescue crews assisted the climber off the rock and no fire service action was required.
Eleven association members took part in the exercise.
Volunteer Derek Hammond told the Stray Ferret that they used a hauling system to take the man’s weight off his arm so he could be freed.
He said:
He became stuck in a crack at Brimham Rocks and was unable to free himself. We took the weight off his arm and assisted him to the top of the crag, and he was checked over at the scene. It was dealt with fairly easily and took around five minutes.
He added that climbers can get stuck in this way when they use cracks in the rock as handles to wedge themselves up.
He said that it is often caused when they get into position and the rock narrows more than expected when loose rock gives way, or the climber is unable to reposition to remove their arm.
The man was checked over on scene and did not require further medical attention.
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