Teenage girl breaks leg sledding in Cuerden Valley Park

A teenage girl has broken her leg whilst sledding in a snow-filled Cuerden Valley Park at the weekend.
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Ambulance crews were called to a hillside in the park, off Sheep Hill Lane in Clayton-le-Woods, after the girl hit a rock whilst sledding at around 4.40pm on Saturday (January 2).

The girl's family had called 999, but because of the demand on the ambulance service due to the snow and ice, they had to wait nearly two hours for help to arrive.

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When paramedics arrived at 6.26pm, darkness had fallen and the temperature had dropped below 0°C. The hazardous conditions meant support from mountain rescue teams was needed and 24 volunteers from Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT) responded to their first call out of 2021.

Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)
Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)

With snow still falling, the BPMRT and paramedics made their way to the scene where the girl was found to have suffered a suspected mid-shaft femur fracture (located in the thigh, it's both the longest and the strongest bone in the human body, extending from the hip to the knee).

Paramedics administered painkilling gas before mountain rescue volunteers secured her to a spinal board and stretchered her across fields of snow to a waiting ambulance.

She was then taken to Royal Preston Hospital for urgent treatment at 8.50pm.

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Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)
Mountain rescue teams at the scene in Cuerden Valley Park yesterday evening (Sunday, January 3). Pic: Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue Team (BPMRT)
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A spokesman for BPMRT said: "Earlier this evening we were requested by the North West Ambulance Service to assist with a young female who had been sledging in the snow, unfortunately she had hit a rock and damaged her knee.

"Once on scene it was determined that she had a mid shaft femur break which required urgent hospital attention.

"With the ambulance crew on scene, we stretchered her across the snow to an ambulance where she was then transferred into Preston Royal Hospital.

"We wish her a speedy recovery, for what is our first incident of 2021!"

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