Incident 23rd May 2024
Wiltshire Police contacted Mendip Cave Rescue, following a report of smoke coming from an air shaft above Bethel Quarry, and at 21:28 a SARCALL alert was received via Avon & Somerset Police requesting assistance. Two local MCR members attended the scene, and entered the quarry with three officers from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue service, to be stopped by thick smoke. Two fire officers with breathing apparatus went further into the quarry and managed to extinguish a small smouldering fire, whilst a large fan was deployed to help clear the smoke. No people were located within the quarry, and the incident was closed at 22:49.
Incident 11th May 2024
At 00:25 on Saturday 11th May 2024, Mendip Cave Rescue received a SARCALL alert asking for assistance regarding two mine explorers who were unable to exit Box Stone Mine. They had entered the mine on Friday afternoon via a grilled entrance, but were unable to find their way back to their entry point. Instead they found themselves behind the grill at a different entrance and could not exit. They were able to get a mobile phone signal and ask the emergency services for help. Two MCR members attended the scene, along with members of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue service, the Police and a representative from the quarry owner. At 02:00 it was agreed that Dorset & Wiltshire Fire service should remove one of the bars from the grill to allow the explorers to exit, and by 02:42 the incident was closed.
Incident 17th February 2024
Mendip Cave Rescue were called by Avon and Somerset Police via SARCALL at 16:41 on 17th February 2024, concerning a caver with equipment failure who was unable to exit Hunters Hole in Priddy. Two cavers had entered the cave earlier in the day, but one of them was unable to ascend the pitch. A small party of MCR members attended with some spare equipment, re-rigged the lower pitches and the caver was then able to make his way to the surface unaided. The SARCALL incident was closed at 18:19, with everyone and all the equipment back on the surface, and was attended by 7 MCR members in total. MCR are very grateful to Roger Dors, landlord of the Hunters Lodge Inn, for opening the pub earlier than usual to allow members of the caving party (and MCR members!) somewhere to warm up and shelter from the wet and windy weather.
History of Cave Rescue On Mendip
Alan Gray, the Secretary of Mendip Cave Registry and Archive, has been collating reports of all caving rescue and incidents located in the Mendip Cave Rescue region, from early reports of an incident in Pen Park Hole in 1669 through to the current day. All these reports, plus newspaper articles and extracts from log books, have been compiled into a book giving a thorough history of the cave rescue incidents that have taken place over the last 350 years, along with some information about how cave rescue equipment has evolved over the years. All of Alan's hard work has resulted in a 750+ page PDF book, that is available as a free download from the MCRA website.