Weekend madness!
Crowds flock to moorlands again, causing traffic disruption and upsetting residents
EMERGENCY services were kept busy over the weekend as thousands of visitors brought chaos to the Staffordshire Moorlands.
One man was seriously injured following a fall at The Roaches near Leek on Sunday and two people were rescued from Thor’s Cave in the Manifold Valley on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday the emergency services were also called to road traffic collisions in Rudyard and Cauldon.
Meanwhile, thousands flocked to the area, leaving car parks full and, as a result, many vehicles parked on narrow roads causing chaos.
Wardens started clamping down on badly parked cars as visitors flocked to the area’s beauty spots.
Council enforcement officers, supported by the Staffordshire Moorlands Police, tackled illegal parking at The Roaches, just hours after the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust revealed the car park was full.
Police officers said they received reports of illegal parking, barbecues, and littering at beauty spots across the Staffordshire Moorlands over the weekend.
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “Civil enforcement officers have been at The Roaches and will continue to pay attention to the beauty spots in our area.
“We are having numerous reports from across the Moorlands about inconsiderate parking, litter and barbecues in the beauty spots and we are in touch with civil enforcement to try and deploy to the areas affected.
“People should be considerate when visiting and take litter home with them.”
A Staffordshire Wildlife spokesman said: “Car parks were full at The Roaches again. If you’re thinking of visiting, leave your journey for another day when things have quietened down.”
If anyone is spotted illegally parking at any of Staffordshire’s beauty spots, people are asked to call 101.
Tourists also caused chaos for residents and farmers at Knotbury near Flash on Saturday.
One resident told the Post & Times: “We are a tiny hamlet near Flash – the highest village in England – and a farming community.
“If we had to get an emergency vehicle in, they could not have got down the narrow roads.
“Animals separated from their mums, as people were driving 60mph down roads and scaring them.
“We have people picnicking on SSSI land with lapwings and rare curlews nesting on it, it’s crazy. It has been like this for last four days.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service and Buxton Mountain Rescue Team were called to The Roaches in Upper Hulme on Sunday afternoon at 1.14pm following reports a man had fallen from height. Two ambulances, a paramedic officer, a community first responder, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Staffordshire attended the scene.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Ambulance staff managed to access the patient who had come to rest halfway up a hillside, he was found to have suffered multiple serious injuries. Crews began treating the patient while also working closely with the Mountain Rescue Team to prepare the patient for moving off the hillside.
“Once at a place of safety, air ambulance staff, including a doctor, administered specialist trauma care before the man was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital by land ambulance. On arrival, the man’s condition was described as very serious.”
A spokeswoman for Staffordshire
Police said: “Officers assisted colleagues from Buxton Mountain Rescue Team and West Midlands Ambulance Service after reports of an injured man at the Hen Cloud area of the Roaches in Upper Hulme, Leek. A temporary road closure was put in place to allow the emergency services access.”
On Saturday afternoon the ambulance service was called to Thor’s Cave in the Manifold Valley near Wetton following reports two people were trapped.
One ambulance, two paramedic officers, a community first responder, the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Staffordshire attended the scene.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “Crews arrived to find two patients, a man and a woman, who were trapped on a steep slope at Thor’s Cave. Ambulance staff were told the patients had got into difficulty while walking.
“HART staff, the Mountain Rescue Team and the fire service all worked together to ensure both patients were extricated safely, using a rope system which took approximately two hours to complete.
“They then received a full medical assessment but thankfully were uninjured and able to be discharged at the scene.”
A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Police said: “On Saturday afternoon officers assisted colleagues from Mountain Rescue and West Midlands Ambulance Service at Thors Cave, in Wetton following reports that a man and a woman had got into difficulty. A temporary road closure was put in place as emergency service teams responded to the incident.”
Two fire crews attended the incident.