South Cumbria Coastguard

19 November 12:15 to 03:00

At approximately 1215 local Liverpool Coastguard received a call for assistance from Cumbria Police with regard to the possibility of a woman and dog missing in a widely flooded area of Ulverston, close to the Glaxo Smith Kline pharmaceutical plant. (GR 305777)

The first informant had seen a lady walking a dog near the flooded area and saw her waving, she reported that she wasn't sure if the person was waving at friends or required assistance, as the water level in the area was rising rapidly.

Walney CRT, Duddon IRT, Bay Rescue, Cumbria Fire Service and Cumbria Police conducted a search of this large open flooded area, a culvert and beck. After two and  a half hours the search was called off with police indicating this was a call with good intent with no missing persons reported during or after the search. 

When leaving the scene Walney CRT were tasked to look for a mussel barge which was reported missing from it's moorings at the coast road close to the village of Baycliff (GR 287724)  there were no indications of persons on board due to the high winds, heavy rain and rough sea. Nothing was found and the vessel is presumed to have sunk, broke its mooring or both. 

At 2130 hrs local Walney CRT were tasked to provide a flood patrol in the guard in areas of high risk of flooding due to the high winds and heavy rain, a watch was kept on areas previously effected by flood in Ulverston and other likely areas within the guard. Luckily no major problems were found, although a small number of holes were flooded and many roads within the guard were closed due to severe flooding.

The watch ceased at 03:00

20 November 2009

At 08:00 hrs Millom CRT were tasked to assist with the evacuation of people in the town of Cockermouth. The team encountered difficulty navigating the counties roads due to flooding and bridge closures, arriving at Cockermouth at approx 08:50, to relieve the Whitehaven CRT who had been on duty all the previous night. They assisted with the evacuation operation all day, organising Inshore Lifeboats, Helicopters and ground teams.

At 0900 hrs Liverpool Coastguard received a call for assistance from Cumbria Police with regard to the evacuation of Hoad View Ulverston, Walney CRT and Duddon IRT were tasked to aid police with man power and equipment, on arrival it was found the area close to the previous days flooding was severely flooded and that police were concerned that a retaining wall may give way, flooding North Lonsdale Road Ulverston.
 
An elderly gentlemen had taken ill in this road and was evacuated by rescue personnel to an awaiting ambulance, whilst incident was taking place police requested assistance at Spark Bridge near Greenodd (GR 307848) where a couple were trapped in their cottage as the River Crake flowing out of Coniston had broke its banks.
 
Members of  Walney CRT and Duddon IRT were dispatched to the scene and found a raging torrent around the cottage and other properties, fortunately only the one property was occupied. Rescue team members donned safety equipment and lines to get close to the property but could not get within 100 feet of the cottage. Walney CRT contacted RCC for helicopter assistance, this was granted and Rescue 122 was dispatched to the scene with an ETA of 1130 local. The couple were reluctant to leave the house but with police help convinced the couple it was in their interest and safety to leave the property. Again , as this tasking was taking place, police asked for assistance at the Whitewater Village  Backbarrow (GR356847) to search cottages with the fire service along the River Leven flowing out of Windermere.
 
At 1130 Rescue 122 arrived on scene to evacuate the couple from Spark Bridge, this was achieved but unfortunately the couples two dogs had to be left behind. Rescue 122 tasked to Cockermouth by SO Millom to assist with tricky evacuations. Once complete the rescuers  joined their colleagues at Whitewater,  where the search of the cottages had been completed, an elderly couple were evacuated from their house close but now  in the river, which had by now submerged the bridge joining the two halves of the village under a 6 feet torrent of water. An elderly lady and carer were checked on and found to be safe where they were in their home, and an Ambulance was extricated from 3 feet of water whilst attending a call at Whitewater. 
 
Walney Teams stood down 1630hrs

Millom CRT returned to station at 19:00

Millom and Whitehaven Coastguard Rescue Teams would like to thank the people of Cockermouth who, despite everything else that was going on, ensured the CG teams had an almost constant supply of refreshments. A special thanks also to Sister Sharon who kept the coffee coming in the Incident Control Room at Cockermouth.