Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 27

Thread: Finding A Dead Body

  1. #1
    Master Jez Hellewell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Burley-In-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.
    Posts
    2,216

    Finding A Dead Body

    I thought long & hard about posting this, but thought it may prove useful to somebody one day.

    On Sunday I parked at The Cow & Calf, in Ilkley, & headed off for a run over the moors with no particular route in mind. I ended up running to the "Shooting Lodge" on Burley Moor & headed down towards Horncliffe Well, a stretch of The Bradford Millenium Way. it's a great path & you rarely see anybody on it. Halfway down I noticed what I thought to be a dummy laid down with it's legs in a puddle. I couldn't understand why somebody would go to the effort of putting it there.I thought it was some sort of prank. As I got closer, to my absolute horror, I realised it was a dead body. Panic & fear set in but I instantly rang 999. After a few minutes explaining that the man was definitely dead & giving my location & details I waited for the ambulance & police to arrive. Unfortunately there is a house in Burley Woodhead called the Shooting Lodge, which is where the emergency services first went to before ringing me again to ascertain my exact location. It took them well over an hour to finally get to me as they had to leave their vehicles & walk to me & the body. By this time I was shivering uncontrollably from shock & cold. Luckily, long or short run, I always carry a bum bag with my phone, waterproof & gloves, all of which were needed. Anyway, they eventually arrived & walked me back to the ambulance to try & warm me up & check me over (I couldn't stop shaking for about 2 hours). The police then took me home to provide a detailed statement & they even took a Strava printout of my run!

    I didn't sleep on Sunday night & was advised to go to the doctor to get checked over for shock & exposure. I spent over an hour on remote moorland with a dead body & am struggling to get the image of the poor man out of my head. The police have said it is "not suspicious" as you would expect up there.

    I suppose the reason I'm sharing this is to make people aware that anything can happen out there. Be prepared & always take a phone if you're going somewhere remote.

  2. #2
    Master Travs's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    NE Lakes/Coventry
    Posts
    5,256
    Holy cow... I'm sorry to hear about that, but relieved to hear you were well kitted out and prepared.

    I had something similar, but in no way as serious, which thankfully turned out to have a good ending...

    Between xmas and new year I was up in the lakes doing some wainwrights and BG reccies. I had a day between long runs where I met a work colleague who was new to the fells (and not a native of the UK) and was taking him up Skiddaw via the tourist route.

    At some point on the steep section of Jenkin Hill (I think t was near the bottom) we passed a gentleman in his 70's. After exchanging pleasantries, he went very stiff, his full weight on his two walking poles, and eventually keeled over. Looking into his eyes was beyond scary, I could see he was still alive but something bad was happening. Unfortunately I know absolutely no first aid, bar putting someone in the recovery position, and my mate had never been up a mountain in his own country, let alone a freezing Skiddaw in December, so it was up to me.

    Luckily I had my phone, and called 999 asking for ambulance/mountain rescue. At this point the guy on the floor managed to mumble something which turned out to be "look at my wrist"...

    Had had a medical bracelet which basically said he has brain damage which leads to these kind of 'fits', and we should leave him alone and he will recover fully within a few minutes, and any attempt at first aid will make things a lot worse and end up with him requiring prolonged hospital treatment.

    I rather embarrassingly had to abort the 999 call, leaving a very confused operator at the other end of the phone. Fortunately the guy recovered enough whilst we were there to speak a little and tell us that it was a regular occurrence, but not enough to stop him enjoying the fells.

    I guess the morals are...

    * Anything can happen to yourself or someone else in the hills, that can turn an everyday walk/run into something completely different.
    * Don't panic.
    * As Jez's post, take your phone and kit.

    I was well wrapped up with multiple layers and Paramo trousers (it's a long time since I've actually walked, as opposed to running, in the fells, so I was prepared for being cold), and I was a shaking wreck after this incident, due to the shock.

  3. #3
    Senior Member RaceTheSweeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Flagg Derbyshire
    Posts
    950
    I'm so sorry to hear this Jez. That must of been one of the worse experiences ever. I hope you recover soon. It might be an idea to go and talk to someone as it sounds as if you are still very traumatised. Something like this could affect your mental well being too. xx
    Last edited by RaceTheSweeper; 15-09-2017 at 10:39 AM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member superflyguy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Body in Leeds. Heart in Derby
    Posts
    899
    i can't imagine how you must be feeling, what an experience. really glad you always take kit with you on a run - i'll start taking more. as RTS said, !it's good to talk". I'm sure you have a great support network so make use of it and continue to get out running.

    cheers
    Adam
    Adam Speed
    P&B

  5. #5
    Master Jez Hellewell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Burley-In-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.
    Posts
    2,216
    Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments. The doctor said whatever you do, talk about it, which I suppose is why I felt I should post my experience on here.

  6. #6
    Master Dave_Mole's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    the Moon
    Posts
    1,287
    The doctor said whatever you do, talk about it
    sound advice: it might not seem like it now, but one of these day it will turn into a "...did I tell you about the time I found a dead body..." stories.
    Well done and hope you get over the experience soon.
    ....it's all downhill from here.

  7. #7
    Senior Member William Clough's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    The peoples republic of New Mills
    Posts
    469
    Sorry to hear that Jez. Having done quite a few first aid courses for work,shock and its consequences can have detrimental effects on your health. Living in the shadow of the Kinder estate I can nip out for a run out on the hills at a moment's notice. At the height of summer it's very easy to become blasè about danger on the fells. In winter I always carry an orange survival bag perhaps it should stay in my bag all year round. Your story proves proper kit no matter what the weather conditions are a life saver.

  8. #8
    Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Within sight of Leicestershire's Beacon Hill
    Posts
    2,447
    I hope you are fully recovered (mentally) by now, Jez, though I imagine you may still get flashbacks for a while. Probably best to keep off that stretch of path for a while, at least until Winter when it may look a bit different.

    I take your point about being properly prepared when one goes out running, but in this instance my lack of a phone would have saved me from the incipient hypothermia. I would have had to run straight home to phone the police, and would have had time to put on warm clothing before going back out with them; although I would probably have spent the time worrying about "did I really see that?" and "what if someone moves it and then I take the police up there on an apparent wild-goose-chase?".
    In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
    Jorge Luis Borges

  9. #9
    Moderator noel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Western Peak District
    Posts
    6,238
    It's good that someone so responsible as you found the body. A lot of people might have just run off in fright. So are you assuming it was a heart attack or something similar?

  10. #10
    Master Jez Hellewell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Burley-In-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.
    Posts
    2,216
    My concern was maybe a family coming across it, so leaving it wasn't an option, despite being freezing. And the police asked me to keep people away from it until they arrived.

    But thanks Anthony, I have recovered & still do have the image ingrained in my head. I have, however, been running down the same path already. The day after in fact. Something I felt I needed to do.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •