VIDEO: Goat trapped on ledge near Todmorden leaps to safety as rescuers approach (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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VIDEO: Goat trapped on ledge near Todmorden leaps to safety as rescuers approach
10:54am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News
By Peter Magill, Chief reporter
NINE volunteer members of a search and rescue team mounted a three-hour rescue operation for a goat apparently trapped on a rocky ledge.
But when they got within touching distance of the animal it leapt down into a field and walked away unscathed.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE RESCUE ATTEMPT
Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team were asked by police to go and help the animal after concerns that it might have been ‘stuck’ on the ledge for up to five days.
Villagers in Cornholme, Todmorden, became worried about the goat known as ‘Black Rock Billy’ which is a popular sight on local hillsides.
But when one of the rescue team was lowered by rope down Cornholme Craggs Billy made her own jump to freedom.
A Calder Valley team spokesman said: “The police were worried that a local Samaritan might be harmed in an attempt to rescue Billy, so we agreed to turn out to help.”
Working with an RSPCA inspector and animal capture specialist Peter Boddy, the team came up with a plan to lower one of their number down the slope, before the goat scrambled to safety.
“Billy appears to be none the worse for his ordeal, much to the relief of his local admirers,” added the spokesman.
Town councillor Penny Langham said: “They took quite a long while up there because they were trying to work out the best way of rescuing the goat without scaring her.
“There are a couple of goats up there all the while and have been ever since I can remember and they seem happy enough.
“But I suppose if there were any real concerns about them getting old and frail then the RSPCA could step in and have a look.”
An onlooker said: “Black Rock Billy is safe. The goat just needed to be scared off I think. But we should thank the mountain rescue for what they did.”
Video footage of the rescue was also captured by a local amateur camera-man and has been uploaded to the online sharing site Youtube.
Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team is manned entirely by volunteers and receives no funding from the government. Running costs are £30,000 a year – so the group is always on the lookout for donations and supporters.
All donations go towards maintaining the team’s base, equipment and vehicles – or the purchase of new equipment.
People are also encouraged to make a contribution by donating their own professional skills, helping out with fundraising or at one of the team’s events, joining training sessions playing a ‘casualty’ or by joining the support group.
Details at http://www.cvsrt.org.uk/support-us
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Comments (4)
12:19pm Wed 10 Oct 12
kate11 says...
2:47pm Wed 10 Oct 12
kenbro says...
The Rescue Team volunteered to do it to avoid that possibility.
They should be commended not criticised.
7:28pm Wed 10 Oct 12
Skookie says...
11:02pm Fri 12 Oct 12
Pendlesider says...
the goat was a few 'feet' above inclined ground on a 'hill' when it leapt a few feet to the nearest rock and ambled down the hillside.
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a goat is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators can't reach. they're natural habitat is often a few thousand feet so i did chuckle when I saw cars driving by in the same video frame as the goat.
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the goat didn't need rescuing. but i'm sure it, and the numpties wasting time trying to 'save' it, will be happy the tale made it to the daily mail.