Shropshire family help save man who had broken ankle on the Long Mynd
When Andrew Tamplin went for a walk at a Shropshire beauty spot with his children, the last thing he expected was to be caught up in an emergency.
Mr Tamplin was walking on the Long Mynd as part of a training exercise for the Welsh 3000 Challenge.
But being a man who likes to "be prepared" he was able to potentially save the life of a fellow walker who had fallen and broken his ankle miles from help.
Mr Tamplin, a maintenance engineer from Leegomery, Telford, and his children William, 12, and Molly, 14, had travelled to the Long Mynd, near Church Stretton.
"We were walking up the Carding Mill Valley at around 2.30pm and had taken a path that is rarely used," said Andrew, aged 39.
"The rain and fog had come in and the path was quite steep. We saw a ranger coming down who warned us about the weather but we carried on. We carry emergency backpacks which have survival bags in them along with a camouflage shelter and flashing beacons and flares.
"We carried on along the path and we were about two miles away from the car park. We were walking on a path when we saw the man lying in the heather. He had broken his ankle.
"He said he had been there for about half an hour and that he had called the emergency services but, because his phone got wet, he was unable to carry on with the phone call.
"I called the ambulance and gave them a grid reference but it still took them and the National Trust rangers an hour to find us as where we were so remote."
Mr Tamplin added: "The man was shivering and told me he was 61. I put the tent over him to keep him out of the rain.
"It took a while but the ambulance arrived and he was put in to the back. It was close to 4.30pm when the ambulance came and it was just getting dark and the temperature had fallen to about 5C (41F).
"He was very lucky that we came across him when we did and that we found him in the fog. He was lying down in the heather and no one would have seen him.
"He told me has was in training for a trek to base camp on Everest in November. I just want to find out how he is."
Are you the man whom Andrew and his children found? If so why not contact the Shropshire Star on (01952) 242424.
