Pupils hailed heroes after ski accident
Published: March 14, 2007
A party of youngsters from Allendale Middle School are being hailed as heroes after rescuing their badly-injured skiing instructor from a Norwegian mountain.
The drama happened during a school trip to the popular resort of Voss last week, when the group of nine boys and girls aged 11 to 13 were skiing off piste.
The children – all able skiers – were enjoying an extra hour’s sport with a local ski instructor when he had a serious accident.
He hit his head, broke his arm and suffered concussion, which left him dazed and confused.
The children coolly took matters into their own hands, and without adult help, managed to get themselves and the instructor down off the mountain – despite the fact that the ski lifts had closed for the day.
One of the children involved was Megan Shepherd (12) from Haydon Bridge.
She said: “We were up on the mountain, skiing off piste.
“We’d all been skiing before so we were in the top group.
“We were going down a bumpy bit. I didn’t see exactly what happened to the instructor as he was among some trees, but it looked as though he’d caught his arm on a branch, fallen and bumped his head on a rock.
“He had a helmet on, but he fell so hard he was knocked out. We all sat down with him for a while; he was too dizzy to get up.
“When the instructor could stand we helped him walk. He was very wobbly, and we had to carry his skis and poles.
“It was getting quite late. We had been out an extra hour and the chair lift had shut when we got there, so we had to get over the other side of the mountain to the cable car to get down.
“We were all a bit frightened when the instructor said he didn’t know where he was.
“We realised he was badly hurt and needed to get to hospital.
“We got together to sort out what to do. We went to an office nearby and called a taxi. We didn’t have any money on us but we explained what had happened.
“The taxi came and took us across to the cable car and took the instructor to hospital.
“He’s fine now, but he had broken his arm.
“We had moments of feeling scared, but it didn’t put us off skiing. We went out again the next day!”
Megan’s mum, Christine Shepherd, said: “I was shocked when I first heard about it, but now I know exactly what happened I am very proud of Megan and of all of them.
“They showed common sense and initiative, and from the school’s point of view they should be delighted with their pupils.
“I have absolutely no criticism of the school. I was impressed with all the preparations for the trip and would be happy for the teachers involved to take Megan skiing again.
“This accident was the sort of thing which could happen to anyone out skiing.
“We have been skiing as a family and gone off with different instructors because we are of different abilities – it could have happened to any of us.
“The main thing is that they didn’t lose their heads.”
Head teacher at Allendale Middle School Ruth Bradley said she was very proud of her pupils and Northumberland County Council’s executive member for children’s services Coun. Jim Wright, added: “I am extremely impressed by the tenacity shown by this group of youngsters.
“I’m sure their parents and their school are very proud.”
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