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Worcester Cathedral rope rescue

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Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS), and ambulance crews attended a specialised rescue at height from Worcester Cathedral bell tower.

Two crews from Worcester and a specialist Rope Rescue team from Malvern were called to assist the ambulance service at 16:57pm on 11 February 2017.

One male casualty was rescued from the bell tower after his foot became entangled in the rope and he was hoisted, momentarily into the air, before being returned to the bell tower floor.

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Due to the tight spiral staircases, and the nature of the potential injuries that could have occurred, firefighters made the decision to lower the casualty approximately 80ft from the bell tower to the main cathedral floor.

The rescue operation, although specialist and complex, was a scenario that HWFRS was prepared for, having continued collaboration training exercises at Worcester Cathedral.

Due to continued training to maintain the safety of local communities in all eventualities, fire service personnel had previous training at the historic building and knew the anchor points and trapped door locations throughout the area. They safely, efficiently and quickly lowered the bell-ringer to safety, who was then looked after by paramedics and transported to Worcester Hospital.

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