In case of emergency, dial 112 or 999 and ask for the Police
Callouts 2017
Saturday, 16 December 2017 15:26
Body found in search for teenager in Otter Valley
Written by DSRT Admin
Body found in search for teenager in Otter Valley CALLOUT 32 / 2017 - 09:00 16th DECEMBER 2017 Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton was called to search a number of areas in the Otter Valley between Ottery St Mary and Tipton St John for a vulnerable 15-year-old male this morning, who had been missing since Wednesday. Sadly, after about an hour into the search a body was found by one of our foot teams and the location was secured and handed over to Devon and Cornwall Police.This was a multi-agency effort involving Dartmoor Search and Rescue teams from Ashburton and…
Thursday, 07 December 2017 18:08
River Dart Kayaker trapped by partially submerged tree
Written by DSRT Admin
River Dart Kayaker trapped by partially submerged tree CALLOUT 31 / 2017 - 10:05 7th DECEMBER 2017 Just after 10 am this morning, the team were called to assist at an incident where a kayaker had been reported as trapped under a tree whilst paddling in the Upper Dart Valley between Dartmeet and Newbridge. Our volunteers, including our swift water rescue specialists, accompanied Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, Devon and Cornwall Police and South West Ambulance Service to the location beside Bellpool Island up-river from Newbridge. Unfortunately, it became apparent that despite the best efforts of his companions, the…
Monday, 27 November 2017 20:45
Greator Rocks casualty airlifted by Devon Air Ambulance
Written by DSRT Admin
Greator Rocks casualty airlifted by Devon Air Ambulance CALLOUT 30 / 2017 - 13:10 26th NOVEMBER 2017 The team were called out earlier today to assist the South Western Ambulance Trust with the evacuation of 2 reported casualties near the Houndtor Medieval Village. Members began to arrive at the Houndtor car park within 30 minutes and walked across the short distance to the Medieval Village. Passing Houndtor and with a good view down to the village, the Devon Air Ambulance was spotted already onsite having landed at Greator Rocks alongside a white Landrover. The lead team of 3 of our…
Teen missing in Lustleigh CALLOUT 29 / 2017 - 01:36 1ST NOVEMBER 2017 Devon and Cornwall Police raised a callout request to the team at 01:36 alongside other agencies including an NPAS (National Police Air Service) helicopter early on Wednesday morning. A teenager had not returned home and the alarm had been raised. Shortly after our volunteers began arriving at the rendezvous at Lustleigh around 02:30 am, the young person arrived home safely to 'words of advice'.
Trio tackle River Dart in an inflatable CALLOUT 28 / 2017 - 16:30 15TH OCTOBER 2017 At 4:30 this evening (or just as I was about to carve the slow-cooked shoulder of lamb I'd been cooking since 1 o'clock to put it another way). We had a call from Devon and Cornwall Police in relation to an overdue trio of river users n the River Dart. A lady had reported that her husband and 2 children were overdue after she had dropped them off at Dartmeet to paddle the river with limited safety equipment and an inflatable kayak, and she…
Wednesday, 04 October 2017 17:21
Vulnerable man airlifted to hospital from Dartington
Written by DSRT Admin
Vulnerable man airlifted to hospital from Dartington CALLOUT 27 / 2017 - 12:55 4TH OCTOBER 2017 Shortly after midday today, the team responded to a request by Devon and Cornwall Police to search for a vulnerable missing person in the Totnes area. Our volunteers were deployed from the Dartington Estate and shortly after the search was initiated, a Devon and Cornwall Police search dog located the missing person. Our team doctor assessed the casualty on site and, alongside other team personnel, transported him to a landing area ready for the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter to evacuate the male…
Search for a missing man from Totnes CALLOUT 26 / 2017 - 10:00 30TH SEPTEMBER 2017 Dartmoor Search and Rescue volunteers were asked by Devon and Cornwall Police to continue a search for a high-risk male who had been initially reported missing on the 16th September. Deployed to the Totnes area, our volunteers searched several areas of woodland and fields alongside three dogs and handlers from the Search and Rescue Dog Association (SARDA), to eliminate final intelligence tasking by the Police.. Searching most of the day, unfortunately, no evidence indicating the missing person's whereabouts was found and the Police investigation…
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Callouts 2017
Friday, 29 September 2017 19:03
Rescue specialists search South Devon cliffs for missing person
Written by DSRT Admin
Rescue specialists search South Devon cliffs for missing person CALLOUT 25 / 2017 - 09:30 29TH SEPTEMBER 2017 At just after 09:00 this morning our steep ground specialists were called out to assist Devon & Cornwall Police with an ongoing male despondent missing person search in South Devon. Alongside HM Coastguard, DSRT Plymouth, and Devon and Somerset Fire Service teams, which was a continuation from a previous day's search, we searched a steep heavily overgrown quarry around Beesands until being stood down at 1700. Search teams were deployed to various areas around sheer and steep ground slopes within the quarry,…
Dartmoor walker lost as darkness falls CALLOUT 24 / 2017 - 19:18 22ND SEPTEMBER 2017 At 19:18 on Friday evening Dartmoor Search and Rescue volunteers were called out to search for a middle-aged walker who had become lost on the south moor of Dartmoor National Park. Fortunately, the walker was in an area of good mobile phone coverage and managed to use his mobile phone to call for help. He had become disoriented on Dartmoor as the weather deteriorated and darkness fell and although unharmed was unaware of his location. By talking to the walker our search manager ascertained that…
High-risk despondent female missing from Exeter CALLOUT 23 / 2017 23 Aug 2017 – Standby – Haytor: The team were put on standby approx. 13:20 to assist South Weast Ambulance Services Trust and their Hazadous Area Response Team (HART) should they require, regarding an injured walker at Haytor. Paramedics were in attendance and managed to evacuate the lady with a suspected broken ankle without further assistance, and the team were stood down shortly after 14:15. 25 Aug 2017 – Exeter: CALLOUT 23/2017 The team were called approx. 21:00 and put on standby regarding a high-risk despondent female missing from the…
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Lost walkers spark huge Dartmoor search. CALLOUT 22/2017 - 08:02 12TH AUGUST 2017 The team were called out this morning along with our colleagues at Plymouth, to continue a search operation that had been underway since yesterday evening involving the Dartmoor teams at Tavistock and Okehampton. Two walkers who set off on Thursday for a camping trip from Burrator heading towards Okehampton via Postbridge, had reported being lost on the Northern part of Dartmoor. Two phone conversations with them indicated they were possibly in the Rough Tor / Cut Hill area and that they were wet and borderline hypothermic; however,…
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Callouts 2017
Wednesday, 09 August 2017 09:26
Overnight search for Budleigh woman in East Devon
Written by DSRT Admin
Overnight search for Budleigh woman in East Devon CALLOUT 21/2017 02:10 9th August 2017 Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton volunteers have been out overnight assisting Devon and Cornwall Police with a search for a missing person at Budleigh Salterton alongside the RNLI and HM Coastguard teams from Beer and Exmouth. The lady was reported missing yesterday evening and following initial Police investigations, the team were called out to assist with the search. We covered areas alongside the River Otter up towards East Budleigh and to the west of the town around the cliffs and gold course with no further clues…
Wednesday, 05 July 2017 23:44
Multi agency search for lady with dementia in Torquay
Written by DSRT Admin
Multi agency search for lady with dementia in Torquay CALLOUT 20/2017 - 18:13 5th July 2017 The team were called out to assist Devon and Cornwall Police with the search for an elderly lady with dementia who had gone missing in Torquay earlier in the day. The lady was last seen near the Babbacombe Cliff Railway and our volunteers plus Torbay Coastguard were deployed to cover areas around the cliffs radiating out from the point last seen. Shortly after deploying the lady was found by a Police officer outside our search area safe and well and all agencies were stood…
Suspicious scene at Devon beauty spot CALLOUT 20:44 23rd July 2017 On Friday evening Dartmoor Search and Rescue volunteers were called to assist Devon and Cornwall Police with a suspicious scene at Kennick Reservoir between Hennock and Christow. The scene was suspicious in that it gave concern that a member of the public may have been injured in the area and hence a search was required to check nobody required medical help. A Police Dog and National Police Air Service helicopter were used for an initial search, and forensic officers were called to examine the scene and undertake analysis to…
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Callouts 2017
Top Tor walker injuries ankle in slip CALLOUT 13:06 11th June 2017 Volunteers at Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton have been called by the Police 8 times in the last week to assist in various call for help incidents. Out of those 8 calls, 4 have resulted in a full team callout with the 4th this afternoon. We were called to assist the ambulance service with the evacuation of a lady who had taken a fall to the west of Top Tor, sustaining a lower leg injury in the process. Our volunteers were with the casualty in less than 25…
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Search for high-risk female on Exeter Canal Callout: Thursday 8th June at 23.10 Dartmoor Search and Rescue were called by Devon and Cornwall Police on Thursday 8th June at 23.10 to assist in searching for a high risk missing person at the Double Locks area on Exeter canal. Alongside our colleagues from North Dartmoor SRT, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Urban Search teams. SARDA and police dog units we were tasked to search the wooded and open areas with DSFRS boats being deployed to the river and canal basin. The search continued until approximately 05:00 when we were stood…
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Sad end to Berry Head search for despondent Callout to Berry Head, Brixham After finishing in the early hours of June 7th, the team were called again late that afternoon for a high risk missing person in the Berry Head area. We were tasked to search the cliffs, the Berry and the forts together with the more inaccessible areas along the cliff tops and inland. High gusting winds and rain made the task more difficult and meant careful searching was required especially near the cliff edges, the team continued until being stood down around 21:00. We were saddened to learn…
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Callouts 2017
Concern for high risk missing person in Dawlish Callout: June 6th - Dawlish On Tuesday 6th June Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton volunteers were called by Devon and Cornwall Police to the Dawlish area to search for a high risk missing person. The search encompassed nearby farms and woodland areas and continued across the cliffs and railway lines; the team together with coastguard rescue and the MCA helicopter searched until the early hours when we were stood down. On Thursday 8th June Police confirmed the identity of a body located at Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis. Our thoughts are with the…
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Exeter search finds a body Callout: Exeter Canal Basin Dartmoor Rescue volunteers were called out at 01:50 this morning to assist Devon and Cornwall Police with a search in the Haven Banks area of Exeter. We were joined by North Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team and worked alongside Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service until being stood down at 06:45. We were saddened to learn that the missing person's body was recovered from the River Exe 6 days after our search by Police divers. Our thoughts are very much with the family
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Callouts 2017
Tuesday, 23 May 2017 23:10
Multi-agency search for vulnerable male across Torbay.
Written by DSRT Admin
Multi-agency search for vulnerable male across Torbay. Callout: Torquay Dartmoor Rescue volunteers were called out on Monday evening to Torquay to search for a vulnerable male who had gone missing earlier in the day and the Police were concerned for his welfare. Our team of volunteers searched scrubland and park areas around the Willows and Broomhill Way retail parks. for over 3 hours. The Police had been in sporadic contact with the individual throughout the evening before he terminated the calls. Our teams were stood down shortly after 10pm. Other agencies were also involved in the search including Torbay Coastguard,…
Teenage walker injured in Dartmoor fall Callout Sharp Tor, Upper Dart Valley At 12:36 the Dartmoor Rescue Ashburton volunteers received their second callout of the day. This time to assist the ambulance service with a casualty evacuation following a fall at Sharp Tor on the edge of the Upper Dart Valley. As our members arrived at the RV, we were stood down as the ambulance service had stabilised the casualty and were able to evacuate without our help.
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Callouts 2017
Search for walker lost around Haytor Rocks Callout - Overnight search on Haytor Down At 02:15am a full Dartmoor Rescue Ashburton callout was issued for our volunteers to assist Devon and Cornwall Police with a search in the Haytor Rocks area of Dartmoor for a male in his 40’s. The missing male had driven to Haytor earlier in the evening. Following a reported conversation with his wife around 11pm to say he was returning home, the Police were called when he didn’t appear. An initial Police search concentrated around Haytor as his car was found in the top Haytor car…
Search in heavy rain for missing Exeter teenager It has been a busy day for our Dartmoor Rescue team volunteers after welcoming 170 people on our Templer Way Challenge fundraising event. The team were on their way back to the Rescue Centre after the event when they were diverted to assist Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service with a search for a 17-year-old boy in Exeter. Our team of volunteers searched areas of woodland and undergrowth between Northbrook and Salmonpool weir in heavy rain with no further clues or sighting reported. We were stood…
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Vulnerable adult missing on Haytor Down Our regular Wednesday night training session was interrupted with a call from Devon and Cornwall Police to assist them with a missing person search in the Haytor area. The training session was a joint Dartmoor Rescue exercise involving all 4 teams along with an 846 NAS Merlin helicopter from Yeovilton, in preparation for the annual Ten Tors event to be held in a couple of weeks time. The helicopter crew very kindly delivered a number of our team members from the White Tor area on the West side of the moor to the Visitor…
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Callouts 2017
Wednesday, 05 April 2017 18:50
Dartmoor Rescue assist Air Ambulance with fallen climber
Written by DSRT Admin
Dartmoor Rescue assist Air Ambulance with fallen climber at Haytor Callout – Fallen climber at Haytor. Just as Dartmoor Rescue volunteers were settling in to its regular Wednesday evening training session, this week a water rescue briefing in the River Dart at Buckfastleigh, we were called to assist the Devon Air Ambulance with the evacuation of a climber who had fallen from Haytor. The climber was leading a climb on Haytor Rock and had taken a fall. Fortunately his runners protected him and he continued to climb. Higher up the rock he took another fall and this time his higher…
Climber injured in fall at Devon climbing rock Callout - Chudleigh Rocks 17:45 Following the earlier callout and standby, later in the afternoon around 17:45, Dartmoor Rescue volunteers were called to assist the ambulance service with an evacuation of a climber who had fallen 15m whilst leading on a route on Chudleigh Rocks. Unfortunately his protection had failed resulting in him hitting the ground, catching his head on a rock. Because he was wearing a helmet, which sustained a large dent in the fall, his injuries were a lot less severe than they would have been. Team members and the…
Duke of Edinburgh walker collapses on Dartmoor A beautifully sunny but busy day for our volunteers on Mothers Day this year. The team was placed on standby at 11:55 to search for a 12-year-old child who had gone missing in Exeter. Fortunately the child was located before a callout was initiated and we were stood down. Helicopter evacuation from Crossways Around 14:45 a full-team callout was issued to assist a 17-year-old female on a Duke of Edinburgh Scheme expedition who had collapsed near Crossways on the south of Dartmoor National Park. Fortunately, one of our members happened to be in…
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Body of man located at Newton St Cyres The team have spent the day searching the area around the river Creedy near to Newton St Cyres. We were continuing a search that DSRT Okehampton had started on Wednesday evening and had carried out until 0130. Devon and Cornwall Police are concerned for the welfare of a missing elderly gentleman. Our water specialists joined officers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue to search the river whilst other team members provided bankside support. A report on the search by the Crediton Courier Callout update Devon and Cornwall Police released the following…
Missing teenager sparks search around Ivybridge Callout: 12:50 Friday 3rd March - Ivybridge At 12:50 on Friday 3rd March the team was called to assist DSRT Plymouth with a search for a missing teenager from Ivybridge. As the first of our search teams were starting to search farm and woodland to the north of the town, the police received information that our missing person had been located out of our search area. The team was stood down at 14:40 allowing members to return to their day jobs.
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Callouts 2017
Monday, 20 February 2017 08:07
Chumleigh search involves four Mountain Rescue Teams
Written by DSRT Admin
Chumleigh search involves four Mountain Rescue Teams Callout 20th February Chumleigh The evening of Monday 20th February saw Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton team members join colleagues from DSRT Okehampton, DSRT Tavistock, Exmoor Search and Rescue and search dogs from Cornwall. Devon and Cornwall police were concerned for the welfare of a person believed to in an area close to Chulmleigh. At the height of the search 60 members were involved searching farm and wood land. Missing person located At 2300 as we were finishing our primary search areas we received information that the missing person had been located outside…
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Callouts 2017
Overdue Kayakers spark River Dart search Callout: 21:00 Sunday 19th February 21:00 on Sunday 19th February Dartmoor Search and Rescue Ashburton were called by Devon and Cornwall Police due to concerns for two overdue kayakers on the upper section of the River Dart. The pair had set off with a group from Dartmeet and after a while had decided to get out of the river and walk out to meet the rest of the group who had continued kayaking. When the pair didn’t reach the car park and darkness fell their friends alerted the police who then called the team…
Climber injured in fall at Bonehill Rocks At 15:15 on Sunday 5th February the team were called to assist the ambulance service’s HART team with a fallen climber at Bonehill Rocks. A group had been bouldering on the rocks close to Widecombe in the Moor when one fell and injured their back. Several team members including our two team doctors were close by and soon assisting the HART paramedics, as more team members arrived the casualty was moved to a more sheltered location and kept warm before being carried to the Devon Air Ambulance. The team was stood down shortly…
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Callouts 2017