Emergency services go on alert to rescue kayaker in difficulty

* The team carefully lift the casualty after the rescue. PICTURES: NEWSAR

A team from North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) were called out to assist emergency services in rescuing a kayaker who got into difficulty in the River Dee near Llangollen last Saturday.

Working alongside North Wales Fire and Rescue and the Welsh Ambulance Services, NEWSAR agreed that the fire service would manage the in-water rescue, with their team supporting the landside recovery and casualty extraction.

To reach the location emergency service vehicles used a towpath road on the adjacent Llangollen Canal near Chainbridge Hotel.

* Emergency services vehicles wait beside the canal.

A NEWSAR spokesperson said: "Once the casualty had been brought safely to the riverbank, team members carried the casualty by stretcher across the riverbank before using a twin-tension rope system to safely raise the stretcher up the steep bank to the roadside, where the casualty was handed over to the waiting land ambulance for onward treatment.

"This was another excellent example of effective multi-agency working, with all agencies working together to achieve the best possible outcome for the casualty. We wish the casualty a full and speedy recovery."

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