Mountain rescuers at the scene, with the Coastguard helicopter. Photo: NNPMRT

A critically ill hillwalker suffering from the heat was airlifted from the Cheviots, on the eve of the summer solstice.

Volunteers from Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team were called out on Friday evening to search for the poorly man.

Two walkers visiting the area became lost on the Cheviot Hills in Northumberland and one collapsed, drifting in and out of consciousness.

A spokesperson for the national park rescue team said: “Confirmation of their exact location was unclear, and the mountain rescue team tactical commander initiated a full team callout.

“Given the seriousness of the incident, two mountain rescue response vehicles immediately set off from Pegswood and Rothbury on blue lights towards the Harthope Valley.

“Upon arriving in the valley, the team deployed to search for the casualties on foot, using thermal imagery cameras and using the teams’ vehicles. With time becoming critical and as more personnel arrived on the scene, a person was spotted high up on the hillside by a keen-eyed mountain rescuer.”

During a search of the area, the pair were found by mountain rescue paramedic Aaron Duke. He said “It was clear that one of the pair was extremely unwell, having probably succumbed to the heat. The priority was to get fluids into him as quickly as possible.”

Additional mountain rescue team members arrived at the casualty site with critical medical equipment. The care provided began to take effect and the walker’s condition stabilised, the spokesperson said.

“The next challenge was how to evacuate a casualty from this treacherous location. However, due to the severity of the incident, the mountain rescue commander had requested a Coastguard rescue helicopter which was already en route.

The sun sets on the rescue scene. Photo: NNPMRT

“With the sun setting, the Coastguard helicopter arrived on scene. Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team leader Jamie Pattison, himself a winchman-paramedic, assisted with the evacuation.”

He said: “We’d already got the casualty ready in a casualty bag, and we assisted with loading them onto the Coastguard stretcher. To help ensure the continuity of care, we travelled with the casualty to the hospital where he was handed over.

“I’m pleased to say that his condition had appeared to improve. It was a great example of multi-agency coordination and teamwork.”

As rescuers started to head home after having been involved in the rescue for more than four hours, a second callout came in at just after 11pm.

Keith Briggs, team leader for North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team, said. “Our volunteers had no sooner started their journey home from the incident in the Cheviots when a second call came in to help search for a missing person in a wooded area near the Angel of the North.

“[North East Ambulance Service] and their hazardous area response team were already trying to locate the person who was lost and suffering with a potential lower limb injury. We quickly deployed fresh team members as well as redeploying some of our volunteers from the Harthope incident. It proved to be a very long drive down to Gateshead for some of them.”

The team searched through the night and fortunately, just after 2.30am, the missing person was found by mountain rescue volunteers and handed over to ambulance staff for treatment.

The spokesperson said: “With both incidents now successfully completed, the teams were able to stand down and head home for a few short hours of sleep. Some of them managed to catch the solstice sunrise on their way home.”