Air ambulance to Kate's rescue (updated)

Kate Down, the vice chair and next chair of Audlem Parish Council, slipped and broke a leg on the ARS (Audlem Ramblers Society) hike in the Reef Hills in the Peak District at the weekend. Fortunately for Kate, the group had crossed the border into Staffordshire when the accident happened and she was speedily rescued.

Staffordshire has an enviable reputation for its ambulance service and the ARS members, aware of the many local problems (see last week's NWAS stories), were deeply impressed by the speedy arrival of an ambulance to what was a remote spot. Given the difficult terrain, the air ambulance had also been summoned and arrived equally rapidly. Within an hour of the emergency call, Kate was in North Staffs Hospital – we understand she was given a choice of which hospital to be taken to – and was operated on that night.

Kate had broken both her tibia and fibula but is now home in Audlem. We are sure all will join us in wishing her well for as speedy a recovery as her rescue by the Staffordshire Ambulance Service.

(Update at 11.55am) Christine Johnson was one of Kate's fellow walkers and it was her Orange mobile phone that was used to summon the ambulance service. She has contacted Audlem Online to say how superb the ambulance service was in Staffordshire.

Within 15 minutes of her call, Chrsitine says, which included a grid reference so the group could be found, the air ambulance was circling overhead and phoning to confirm contact. It landed and Kate was stretchered to the ambulance where her leg was tended to and she was given pain killers. As soon as that work was complete, the helicopter was up and way to hospital – the whole operation was fast and highly efficient.

Meanwhile, Christine adds, the ordinary ambulance had also arrived and was parked as near as it could get to the scene in case it had to be used, further confirmation of the efficiency of the whole operation.

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