A sheep got stuck on the ledge of a ghyll in the Lake District – leading to what mountain rescue volunteers called an “incredible rescue”.
Keswick Mountain Rescue team were called out at 10am on Thursday by a farmer from St John’s-in-the-Vale after one of his sheep bolted and embarked on a sudden ghyll scramble before falling – ending up on a narrow ledge.
The team had to negotiate their way to the tricky spot through chest-high bracken – fighting their way up to the remote site at Beckthorns Gill in the lower foothills of Calfhow Pike.
A rope system was set up to lower a team member down to rescue the sheep but when they arrived the animal decided it was having none of it and opted for a “self-rescue” – jumping into the water instead.
The operation involved seven team members and lasted two hours.
A team spokesman added: “Mountain rescue have a long history with sheep rescues with well over 200 sheep rescued by Keswick team alone. The sheep seemed to suffer no ill effects from its hasty escape!”
