A 75-year-old who decided to trek up Pendle Hill for the first time has thanked emergency teams who took care of him after he collapsed.

Ray Bailey collapsed on his way up Pendle Hill on Thursday (March 7) and was found by passers-by who called emergency teams. He says he came round four hours later in hospital and could not remember anything.

Mr Bailey, of Leyland said he had dropped his granddaughter off in Langho and decided it would be a ‘good day’ to take a walk up Pendle Hill.

He said: “I was taking care of my granddaughter so had to drop her off at school in Langho at 8.20am.

“I thought it was a lovely day and heard a lot about the area so got my sandwiches and bag headed off.

“I had not been up there before, it was my first time.”

Mr Bailey did not make it far and says he most likely collapsed at around 10.30am.
The Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue team said they were called to reports of a person unable to move just after 11.15am on Pendle Hill.

Mr Baily said: “I couldn’t remember anything at all after that. The next thing I remember is waking up in hospital. I came round at around 2.30pm.

“Having checked my phone, I had sent a text at around 9.29am telling my family I was half up Pendle Hill and it was getting a little foggy.

“I stayed in hospital for the rest of the day and left the same night. I have a sore back but I think I am fine.”

He said he wanted to thank everyone who had helped him.

“I really want to give my appreciation to the mountain rescue team and the ambulance for taking care of me. I have got in touch with the mountain rescue team to see if I can meet them and thank them personally.

“I would also like to thank the passers-by who helped me.

“It was also really lovely that at the hospital the paramedic who brought me there came to look for me to see how I was. That was nice of her.”

Mr Baily is hoping to return to Pendle Hill.

He added: “I had heard it was lovely up there so I am hoping to go back and take a look.

“My son is saying he is going to make sure he joins me. I don’t think I will be allowed to go alone!”

Andy Bradshaw from the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue team was one of those who responded to the callout.

He said: "On arrival our assistant team leader was ahead of our ambulance and had been met by a couple of walkers who’d helped the gentleman down the steps to the bottom near Pendle Hillside Farm.

"Conditions on the day were overcast, cool but with a wind chill. After we assessed Mr Bailey it was clear he’d had a medical episode and taken a tumble and was somewhat disorientated but responsive.

"NWAS (North West Ambulance Service) were en route but due to exposure, shock and his age we helped Mr Bailey into our team ambulance until NWAS were on scene to do a thorough check-up and get him to hospital."

Andy added: "Mr Bailey went out to have a nice walk up Pendle and thankfully we could piece together enough information to learn of his next of kin so he wasn’t alone for long in hospital.

"It was a pure accident and can never be accounted for. Those present on the day and the wider team wish Mr Bailey the very best and hope he has a speedy and full recovery.

"If anything is to be learned from the event, if you’re walking on your own try to have next of kin information somewhere blatantly obvious or a note on the dash of your car so if walking alone people know roughly the route taken and the approximate length of time you’ll be, then if you’re excessively late people can start looking.

"Thankfully, Mr Bailey was on a popular route and we thank the passers-by who kindly walked him down to our members. We look forward to seeing him on the hill again soon.”