4 people were rescued by firefighters from a precarious position on St Boniface Down in Ventnor last night (Monday).
At just gone 20:00, fire crews from Newport, Shanklin and Ventnor were mobilised to Leeson Road, where a public footpath was used to access a steep hillside that leads up to the highest point on the Isle of Wight.
In fading light, firefighters from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue used rope rescue equipment to successfully reach and recover the group some 100m up the steep gradient.
The incident lasted more than 2 hours.
Thankfully, no one was injured.
I will use it this time.
More idiots will be along soon.
Should make them pay for the wasted time the fire fighters wasted in rescuing them
My thoughts exactly !
It’s a footpath!!!
Next time I’m out walking and fancy a lift home do I just ring the fire brigade?????
Totally agree with you David Ford,that was my thought when I read the story
A very peculiar rescue. Whilst the downs are steep near the site of the well which was venerated even by passing ships very near the peak of the downs, it is not sheer, just slippery with fallen Holm oak leaves.
Seems ott to me to need rope etc.
Dope on a rope I guess.
I recall a similar incident happening about four years ago in the area above Leeson road. We were walking along the path behind the school as equipment was being packed away. That was in daylight & also involved HMCG. As we passed by, a meeting was taking place with personnel of the services on scene. A senior member of a full time service was unimpressed, stating poor & indecisive decision making by others took well over 3 hours to help one person down a slope. He was fuming. Obviously the correct resource with the ability to make immediate on scene decisions managed to get this job done as quick as possible & IN THE DARK!!
I have to assume that these were tourists as anyone who uses the Downs regularly knows that the paths get greasy when it rains following a heat wave, we also know not to attempt a ‘new’ walk in the hour before it gets flaming dark!! Common sense appears to go up the spout when the ‘holiday brain’ kicks in. More of our taxes wasted again!