Brave recovery after mountain rescue (From Chard & Ilminster News)

Brave recovery after mountain rescue

5:26pm Monday 13th August 2007 in Chard By Joanna Glover

A CLIMBING expert from Chard Junction is recovering at home after being plucked from a mountain in a dramatic helicopter rescue.

Chris Craven, 37, who runs Westcountry Access Ltd in the village, had to cut short a climbing holiday in the French Alps during a dangerous ascent at Mount Dru because of excruciating back pain.

Chris, a climber since he was 13, said: "It's the first time I've had to call out the emergency services in all my time climbing.

"We'd got a good way up, but my back was killing me and I knew I couldn't go any further.

"Abseiling down wasn't too much of a problem as our kit was weighted on the line, but I just couldn't walk the rest of the way carrying it.

"We sat on the ledge for about an hour and a half and finally saw the lights of the helicopter coming.

"It was dark at this point and we were thinking 'is this ours?' "

The rescue team flew Chris and his climbing partner to safety, but he had another challenge to overcome.

He said: "I've never liked helicopters. I've always thought they were dangerous, so I was absolutely terrified.

"When they were lifting me up to the helicopter I had a cover over my face, but the wind kept pulling it off and I realised we were spinning madly - it was scary."

Chris was taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed that a bone in his spine had bent, curving his back.

He arrived home last Monday and said he will be taking things easy, but he hopes to be able to climb again soon.