Police use story of climbers stuck on Scafell Pike to attack cannabis users
Four walkers from Manchester got stuck on England’s highest mountain last weekend because they were too goofed to walk back down, says the Guardian. Stoned on the Scafell Pike’s 3,210-foot “peak”, the men summoned help. Cumbria Police went on Twitter to lament:
Persons stuck on mountain, after taking cannabis. Having to deploy M’tain Rescue, Air support and Ambulance to rescue them…..
— Cumbria Police (@Cumbriapolice) September 23, 2017
Persons rescued after becoming incapable of walking due to cannabis use. MRT volunteers putting themselves at risk to prevent harm.
— Cumbria Police (@Cumbriapolice) September 23, 2017
But that’s not quite true. Only one of the men had smoked weed, but all had been drinking. Richard Warren, of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, never mentioned police involvement when he told the North West Evening Mail: “As a group, they were emotionally feeling very concerned. Half of them had waterproofs. They were totally unprepared for what they had got themselves into. When one of them got unwell because of the substance they had taken, it added further worry.” The paper notes: “It is understood the men had been drinking and one of them had taken cannabis.”
But writing on Facebook, a police spokesperson doesn’t mention the booze:
“Persons phoning Cumbria Police because they are stuck on a mountain, after taking cannabis. Now having to deploy M’tain Rescue, Air support and Ambulance to rescue them. Words fail us…..”
A helicopter was not deployed. But one was placed on standby. Esquire reports:
Police worked with the Wasdale mountain rescue team to help bring the men down to safety at 9.45pm, with police adding in a second post on their Facebook page: “Persons rescued by MRT, after becoming incapable of walking off mountain due to cannabis use. MRT volunteers putting themselves at risk to prevent harm.”
Were police called?
Someone using the Twitter name “Samuel Coleridge” says he was one of the rescued men. He tells ITV:
“At the time of making the call we were panicking, cold, wet and hungry and knew if it went dark it was going to be hard getting down.
“I can’t remember exactly how the emergency call went, but I did tell them it was only one of the four of us who had collapsed and was out cold and that we had been drinking and that he had smoked some cannabis.
“My biggest concern now is that our names could be leaked, as we’re all working individuals and I wouldn’t want to risk that. Also most of our families have put two and two together which has caused plenty of headaches…
“There wasn’t a huge costly rescue operation launched as reported by the police. They made out a helicopter, police officers and ambulances were used, but there were none. The only truth was mountain rescue were alerted and we met them near Boot not on the mountain.
“Of course we are sorry for taking up the time of the mountain rescue team. We carried him down as far as we could and only called as a last resort. We fully appreciated their help and support, because we mentioned cannabis on the emergency call the whole situation was blown way out of proportion.”
But if you pick the facts to present it as a police operation mopping up after doped dopes so much the better…
Posted: 26th, September 2017 | In: News, Strange But True Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
