'Real hero' describes 150ft abseil mission to save friend

A HERO climber from Edinburgh has told how he abseiled 150ft and trekked for two hours through the pitch dark to rescue an injured friend in the Cairngorms.

Paul Manson, 32, recounted the drama as he and injured companion Sam Burns recovered from their ordeal which hit the headlines across Scotland.

Mountain rescue teams who responded to the call described Mr Manson as "a real hero" who had done everything right, adding that his friend was lucky to be alive.

The software engineer had been climbing with companion Sam Burns on crags near the Shelter Stone, when the accident happened at around 4pm on Saturday. They were almost at the top when Mr Burns, 25, fell past him, and was left dangling from the cliff face by security ropes.

Mr Manson abseiled down to his friend and was able to cut a seat into the snow and move Mr Burns into it. He was unable to get a signal to call for help, however, and with temperatures well below freezing and night closing in, he realised he had to act fast.

"He was fairly lucid but I thought he had clearly broken his leg," Mr Manson said. "When I moved him into the seat, he was in unbelievable pain, but he helped move himself.

"I left him one rope and was able to use the other one to abseil down. Once I realised I couldn't get mobile phone reception, I knew I had to do something. I didn't want him to freeze."

The fall happened at around 4pm, and by the time Mr Manson started his descent to get help the light was failing.

He abseiled down 150ft with only a head-torch for light, then made his way for the next two hours through a gully, where he was finally able to get a signal and alert mountain rescue teams.

He then headed to a well-known snowhole where he met two fellow climbers who gave him food and drink, before the group went back to find Mr Burns. They lowered a sleeping bag and food to him, before a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth arrived with two members of the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team.

Five hours after the fall they airlifted Mr Burns to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. It is understood he broke his hip and his leg, and he was expected to undergo surgery yesterday.

Mr Manson spent another night in the snowhole before walking out the next morning, and he and Mr Burns were both said to be "cracking jokes" about retrieving their lost equipment when they met up at the hospital. Mr Manson has now made a plea for the return of the gear on the forum of website UKClimbing.com.

Willie Anderson, team leader of the Cairngorms Mountain Rescue Team, praised Mr Manson's quick thinking. Speaking of the moment his team arrived at the scene he said: "At first they saw the head torch but when they zoomed in there was no head attached – his torch had come off when he rolled down the slope. Then they found him and winched him on board and the doctor began to treat him.

"He is a lucky chap. His mate is the real hero. He did everything right. He deserves all the plaudits. Without his cool mind and ability it could have been a very different outcome."

The rescue was one of five carried out on the Cairngorms over the weekend.