Dramatic cliff rescue (From Western Telegraph)

Dramatic cliff rescue

The involvement of the St Govan's and Castlemartin Coastguard in a dramatic rescue earlier this year was recognised by an invitation for Mr David Miller, HM Coastguard sector manager for South Pembrokeshire, to represent the crews at the 'Daily Express' Life Savers Award ceremony at the Savoy Hotel, London.

Mr Miller co-ordinated the local crews who worked with amateur climber Fiona Crozier, and the crew of the North Devon Chivenor rescue helicopter, to save the life of 30-year-old climber Victoria Young at St Govan's Head, in May.

The 'Daily Express'/Vodaphone Life Saver Award - an accolade created by the newspaper to honour men and women who have risked their own lives to save others - was presented to Fiona Crozier and the Chivenor crew at the ceremony in London.

"We had travelled to Pembroke with a climbing club for a weekend, scaling the rocks known as the Crystal Slabs," explained Fiona, aged 30. "I had only started climbing a year before so I did not attempt this particular trail. Richard, a fellow climber, was belaying for Victoria at the bottom of the 160 foot sea cliff. I saw the top of her head come over the ledge and then it suddenly disappeared again."

Victoria had fallen 100 feet, sustaining serious head injuries and wedging her legs in a fissure. Her upper body was hanging off a narrow rock, and blood from her wounds was causing asphyxiation by flooding her airways. Fiona scrambled to the tiny rock shelf, supporting Victoria's head while Richard went to get help.

The local teams were first on the scene, with one of the Coastguard cliffmen about to be lowered to the casualty when the Sea King rescue helicopter arrived.

The cliff team held off to allow winchman, RAF Sergeant Neil Harrison, what limited space there was on the ledge, but he returned to the helicopter to report that Fiona and the injured climber were roped together. The sergeant was concerned that if he cut the jumble of relay lines to release the the injured person, Fiona would be left without any means of safety.

With the light fading, it was decided that a member of the local cliff rescue team would descend the escarpment to secure Fiona's position, before lowering her to the bottom of the rock face. Victoria was attached to the winch hook before the winchman cut away the fissure rock trapping her. She was immediately flown to hospital and treated for head injuries and fractured neck, ribs, arms, legs and pelvis. Five months on, she has made a full recovery and has even started climbing again.

"This rescue was remarkable because it required the skilled co-ordination of two rescue agencies and the selfless bravery of an individual under difficult circumstances," said Flight Commander Squadron Leader Andy Bastable, who nominated the group for an award. Mr Miller said: "People in the emergency services don't view what they do as heroic, they see it as providing a service. When we took part in the rescue, we were just doing our job."