A MAN who was out mountain biking has been rescued from a stream at the bottom of a narrow valley in the Wyre Forest.

The incident happened at about 7.50pm last night. An ambulance, an incident support officer and the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) were sent to Callow Hill.

The location was around two miles along forest tracks. Ambulance crews accessed the tracks from a car park near to the Duke William Pub off Long Bank.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The 55-year-old Worcester man was out mountain biking with friends when the incident happened.

“The exact circumstances are not clear but, when crews arrived, they found the man in a stream at the bottom of the valley, about 20 feet below the pathway. The sides of the valley were slippery with wet vegetation.

“The situation was made more complex by the location having no mobile phone signal. Colleagues of the injured man had to cycle out to call 999.

“Fortunately, the digital radio system that ambulance staff use did give coverage and the initial ambulance staff were able to provide updates to the HART team as they were en route to the incident. In addition, they also marked the route to the location.

“Ambulance staff and firefighters made their way to the scene, some by foot, others in 4x4 vehicles.

“Members of the HART team descended the sides of the valley to get to the patient. While firefighters dug steps into the side of the valley to aid access, the HART team members got the man out of the water and on to a specialist rescue stretcher.

“A rope had been lowered down to them and, together, fire and ambulance crews lifted the man up the 20 feet from the valley floor to a waiting ambulance. He was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with a back injury.

“This was an excellent example of co-operation between fire and ambulance crews, which resulted in the man being taken to hospital far more quickly and safely than might have been possible until recently.”