Injured walker rescued off hillside near New Abbey
Rescue teams and police sent out to help injured walker at Criffel.
An injured walker had to be stretchered off Criffel near New Abbey with a suspected broken ankle after slipping on ice.
Moffat and Galloway Mountain Rescue Teams were called out around 4.20pm on Wednesday afternoon.
After a full assessment of the injury, the rescue team needed further assistance for the stretcher evacuation due to the icy conditions.
Galloway Mountain Rescue Team came out to help as well and together, the two rescue teams carried a stretcher, wheel and back up rope to the casualty’s location.
An ambulance waited at the bottom of the hillside for the team to carry down the casualty where they were promptly taken to hospital for further assessment.
As icy conditions continue across Dumfries and Galloway, there's a call for the council to make sure the region's paths and cycle ways are being kept safe.
The council are being pressed to include these as part of their gritting routes.
Sally Hinchcliffe from Cycling Dumfries, a local campaign group, say’s it’s important to treat the paths and walkways:
“They get very slippy and we’ve got weather like this where snow and ice are forecasted for the next few days so that snow is going to get trodden and freeze and then it just becomes an ice rink which can be really lethal for anyone who is on two feet or two wheels.”
She also believes that the council should value the people who don’t use cars for daily journeys the same as those who do:
“They should be reassuring people that those who walk, and cycle are just as important to the council as people who get into their cars and drive because these are the people who are freeing up the roads for buses and are not contributing to the climate emergency.”
We have approached the council for comment.