Couple hails Mountain Rescue with a Selfie

Peak District mountain rescuers were called to a situation by novel means over the weekend - receiving their first selfie from stranded walkers.
Winnats Pass (courtesy Edale MRT).Winnats Pass (courtesy Edale MRT).
Winnats Pass (courtesy Edale MRT).

The Edale Mountain Rescue Team said they were contacted by a couple seeking assistant, and sending a selfie taken earlier that day showing where they believed they were stuck near Winnats Pass.

The team said: "The team were contacted to assist a couple who had got stuck after scrambling up the steep bank to the left of Winnats Pass.

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"They were uninjured but very much stuck on a ledge near the top of the pass. Team members were able to access them and assist them to safer ground with the aid of a rope system.

"What made the job slightly more interesting was this was possibly our first callout via selfie!" added MRT's Ed Proudfoot. "They also sent us a WhatsApp message with their location, making it much easier to find them."

"The stuck couple had the presence of mind to send an earlier picture they had taken to the duty leader, as the position they were stuck in could be clearly seen in their earlier selfie! This allowed the team to access their position rapidly."

Steve Rowe, duty leader with Edale MRT said: "The couple had reported themselves as being stuck in a cave and there was a contact number so we called them and they said they had scrambled up to the left of Winnat's pass.

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They said: "We can't go up because it's a sheer cliff and we can't go down because the terrain we've covered is quite dangerous.

"I've got an idea, we'll send you a picture. They sent me the picture of the cave and said we're in the cave to the left of my head. This enabled us to pinpoint exactly where they were. We were able to stand at the bottom of Whinnat's Pass and new exactly where to go."

Team members then guided them down the hillside with the aid of safety ropes, added Steve.