A Border Collie dog fell 25 or 30m from the top of Giggleswick Quarry, landing on a ledge which is covered in loose rock. NYF&RS’s Settle firefighters attended, then members of CRO were called. When one member began roping down, the edge was found to be rather loose, so there was a delay while the team’s Larkin Frame* was brought from Clapham. This was erected and fixed in position. The member who had volunteered was lowered to the ledge and confirmed, sadly, that the dog had not survived the landing. Having put the dog, carefully, into our large animal bag, the member and bag were hauled to the top by team members and firefighters, but not without rattling down a few loose stones on the way. The dog’s remains were returned to its owner and all present helped return the equipment to team vehicles as night fell.
* The Larkin Frame is an aluminium tubular fabrication which is assembled on site, moved to the quarry edge and anchored securely. Part of the structure pivots overhead and forward so that the team member may be lowered down, clear of the quarry face. A pulley system gives mechanical advantage to ease the task of hauling the weight back up, before pivoting back in for the team member to regain firm ground.
Volunteer hours: 80
