CLIMBER"S AMAZING FALL

Nicola Boden, Sky News Online

A climber has astonished rescuers by plunging almost 1,000ft down a mountain and emerging with only cuts and bruises.

The climber fell 1,000ft from a peak five miles east of Ben Nevis (pictured)



Adam Potter was found standing up and reading a map, all but unscathed after the death-defying fall in Scotland.

Mountain rescue feared the 36-year-old might be dead when they were called out to the peak five miles east of Ben Nevis.

He had reached the summit of the 3,589ft Sgurr Choinnich Mor when he lost his footing and fell down the steep, craggy slope.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter was already in the area for training and flew to the scene, arriving 35 minutes later.

Other climbers who had been in the same group as the missing man pointed out the direction of his fall as they passed.

Lieutenant Tim Barker said: "We began to hover-taxi down the slope and spotted a man at the bottom, standing up.

"We honestly thought it couldn't have been him, as he was on his feet, reading a map. Above him was a series of three high craggy outcrops. It seemed impossible.

"So we retraced our path back up the mountain and, sure enough, there were bits of his kit in a vertical line all the way up where he had obviously lost them during the fall.

"It was quite incredible. He must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell, almost flying."


A paramedic was winched down to check the climber, from Glasgow, who seemed unhurt apart from cuts, bruises and a minor chest injury.

He was said to be "shaking from extreme emotional shock and the sheer relief at still being alive".

The man was found at 2,600ft, making his fall almost 1,000ft from the summit.

He was winched on board the helicopter and then transferred to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow where is said to be "doing fine".

Lt Barker said: "He is lucky to be alive. It's hard to believe that someone could have fallen that distance on that terrain and been able to stand up at the end of it, let alone chat to us in the helicopter on the way to the hospital.

"Really an amazing result - I have to say, when we got the call and realised the details of where he'd fallen, we did expect to arrive on scene to find the worst-case scenario."

What a lucky man..............If I was him I'd nip out and buy a lottery ticket.

IS/WAS HIM THE LUCKIEST PERSON OF THE WEEK?

He is planning to climb Everest in a couple of months time.

Lioned wrote:He is planning to climb Everest in a couple of months time.

I don"t think he would want to press his luck.