Buxton Mountain Rescue hero saves pensioner from cliff ledge

Mountain rescue deputy team leader Rob Stordy was called out while on duty as a police constable in May last year by picnickers who reported hearing ‘faint cries for help’.

The woman in her 70s, who told Rob she had been ‘out for an adventure’ could be seen on a ledge about 30 feet up the cliff face on High Torr, Matlock Bath.

Rob scrambled up the cliff face until he reached the ledge - where he found the injured walker with a fractured ankle.

She had been calling for help for over eight hours but her cries had been drowned out by the nearby River Derwent and traffic from passing cars.

Rob said: “Above me was a 30-foot cliff and I could see a pair of legs and hear a faint cry for help coming from them.

“She was braced against a tree and the edge of the ledge - I was at the edge with her having a chat but I couldn’t move her due the ankle pain and for fear we would both go tumbling down.”

Rob had already alerted Buxton Mountain Rescue - who passed Rob a rope from the top of the 60-foot cliff which he tied to her.

The relived pensioner was placed on a stretcher and heaved to the top of the cliff with help from the fire service.

Rob, who received an award from Derbyshire Constabulary’s chief constable for his heroic efforts, said: “She had minor injuries and her spirits were pretty good.

“The mountain rescue, fire service and ambulance service rescue was incredible.”