By Ed Chatterton via SWNS
This is the moment a lucky lamb was saved by a mountain rescue team after getting stuck on a ledge above a deep river for eight hours in the Peak District.
Volunteers from Edale Mountain Rescue Team were called after the animal became precariously stranded on a “near-vertical” slope in Derbyshire’s Edale Valley.
Two people entered the water with the team’s raft and after using “aggressive swimming” were able to reach the stricken lamb on the loose slope.
The ewe was then placed inside a secure bag and winched up to the safety of a bridge before being handed back to a relieved farmer.
The team said the lamb’s mother was “quite unaware” of where it had been for the last eight hours following the dramatic rescue on Wednesday morning.
A spokesperson for Edale Mountain Rescue Team said: “A request for assistance to an animal stuck above deep water and on a near vertical and loose slope in the Edale Valley.
“The team leader along with one of our swift water rescue technicians, (SRT) went along to evaluate and carry out a risk assessment prior to mobilizing the team water group.
“As the team were collecting kit from base, another incident came through for a DofE student taken ill on Winn Hill.
“After the incident on Winn Hill, team members returned to the stricken lamb and reassessed the situation as the lamb had managed to get in a more awkward spot than before.
“Two SRT3 team members entered the water with the team raft and along with some aggressive swimming techniques they managed to get to the lamb.
“After some gentle lamb wrangling the lamb was placed inside a secure bag and hoisted up from its position to the bridge above.
“No team members were hurt in this incident and baaaaa any complaints from the lamb, all ended well with a very happy farmer, and a quite nonchalant Ewe, quite unaware of where her baby had been for the last eight hours.
“Many thanks to the owners of the farm for a much needed brew and biscuits as the team had not eaten since breakfast.”
