Woman rescued after cave fall near Minsterley

A caver was rescued in a six-hour operation early today after becoming trapped 300ft underground in a Shropshire mine.

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The woman, believed to be 24, had climbed 250ft into the the mine with six friends when she suffered an epileptic fit and fell.

Two of the cavers who were with her at the time returned to the surface to call for help and a major rescue operation was launched which ended at 3.30am today when the woman was hoisted up a shaft to safety on a stretcher.

Fifty-one volunteers from Midland Cave Rescue, police and ambulance crews were called to Snailbeach Lead Mine near Minsterley at 9.30pm yesterday.

The volunteers from across the West Midlands, including Shropshire, took part in the rescue operation, which saw two teams of four rescuers and a paramedic enter the mine to help bring the woman to the surface.

The woman from Devon was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital complaining of back and leg pain.

Pictures: Rose Pearce

Read more in the Shropshire Star