Hayfield runner who died on hills above the village honoured with fundraising page

The family of a Hayfield fell runner who died after collapsing on hills above the village are raising money for Kinder Mountain Rescue Team - who came to his aid.
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Mark Boulton, aged just 55, died on March 22 while running on Tunstead Clough.

He was well-known among members of the rescue team for back-marking the team's annual Cracken Edge Fell Race and as a regular at the George Hotel - where they are based.

The father-of-one had been running in the ‘hills he loved’ that afternoon before being found by a group of medical students who were sadly unable to resuscitate him.

Mark Boulton died running in the hills above Hayfield on March 22Mark Boulton died running in the hills above Hayfield on March 22
Mark Boulton died running in the hills above Hayfield on March 22

Deputy leader of Kinder Mountain Rescue Dave Eustace told how when they arrived at the scene paramedics were already there trying to save Mark but were ‘sadly unsuccessful’.

Dave and his crew were asked to stretcher Mark off the hill and hand him over to an ambulance crew - describing the experience as ‘very hard’.

Rescuer Dave said: “It was quite difficult for us because he was a local man who some of us knew.”

After Mark’s death his wife Jo, 54, set up a fundraising page for Kinder Scout Rescue Team in his memory - which had raised over £1,400 at the time of writing.

Mark Boulton with daughter Ellie and wife JoMark Boulton with daughter Ellie and wife Jo
Mark Boulton with daughter Ellie and wife Jo
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Dave said he and other team members were ‘touched’ to be chosen as Jo’s charity.

He said: “It’s an amazing sum of money - our outgoings are the same even in the middle of Covid-19 but our income has stopped.

“Many of the shops and cafes with our collection boxes are now closed and we’ve lost our income from events such as carnivals.

Mark Boulton died doing 'what he absolutely loved'Mark Boulton died doing 'what he absolutely loved'
Mark Boulton died doing 'what he absolutely loved'

“But this means a lot in terms of the emotional connection with the community - we’re touched to have been chosen by the family and that they appreciate what we did in what was a somewhat difficult situation.”

Jo described Mark - born and bred in Hayfield - as ‘passionate’ about the village.

She said: “He loved the hills and fell running.”

Jo - a senior sister at Stepping Hill Hospital’s ICU - described how Mark had been a teacher for 13 years before working at a farm.

She told how ‘family man’ Mark - who is also survived by his 10-year-old daughter Ellie - ‘loved working on the farm’.

She said: “It was very hard for Ellie because she couldn’t go to school. We were in lockdown the next day and really ever since it’s just been the two of us in the house - it’s been very hard.”

Jo said Mark was well known in the village also for his work organising car parking for Hayfield Country Show and Sheepdog Trials.

She said: “He was very well-known in the village and we feel that he died doing what he absolutely loved - it was far too early but he loved the hills.”

To make a donation to Jo’s fundraising page click HERE.

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