Search and rescue team’s busy start to the new year

Jan 19 2009 by Ronnie Parry, Flintshire Chronicle

IT’S been a busy weekend for the North East Wales Search and Rescue Team (NEWSAR).

The team responded to four call-outs in less than 48 hours, the first on Friday evening after being alerted by police about a walker lost in Llandegla Woods, near Wrexham.

He was found safe and well by police as the team arrived.

On Saturday, NEWSAR helped search for missing 64-year-old John Oliver Jones from Rhewl, Ruthin.

NEWSAR, five search and rescue dogs and an RAF Helicopter spent five hours searching until severe weather set in.

The team was called out yesterday (Sunday) to a woman with an ankle injury on Moel Famau.

They treated her at the scene before taking her down to a waiting ambulance.

NEWSAR then had another call to help a woman who had broken her ankle a mile north of Moel Famau Tower.

The woman was treated at the scene but deteriorating weather meant she had to be driven to Cilcain and transferred to an ambulance.

NEWSAR team leader Iain Ashcroft said: “We attend on average 25 call-outs per year. Four this weekend brings the 2009 number to five. It’s a busy start to the year indeed!”