A ROTARIAN who broke his hip out while out walking has praised the volunteer fell rescuers and air ambulance who came to his aid.

Seventy-five-year-old Andrew Broughton, of Owler Park Road, Ilkley, rises early to go out walking alone on a regular basis and had reached Litton in the Yorkshire Dales by 7.20am on Wednesday, October 19 when he slipped on rocks.

"I went over a stile and I could not see the rocks were running with water," he said. "I went up into the air like someone who loses their footing ice skating and landed on my hip."

As a vastly experienced walker Mr Broughton was carrying a whistle and a mobile phone and knowing he could not stand dialled the emergency services. "I had just done that when a lady from Scotland happened by, who was on holiday in Litton with her family," he said. "She essentially took over and contacted all the services. I was unlucky falling but the lucky thing was having these people to help."

Mr Broughton said paramedics from Yorkshire Ambulance Service soon arrived followed by members of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Service. About an hour later the Yorkshire Air Ambulance arrived at the scene having travelled from Nostell Priory.

The fell rescue volunteers, who work on an unpaid basis, were able to assist in carrying Mr Broughton to the waiting helicopter.

"The Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue people were excellent," said Mr Broughton. "I didn't feel any lifting when they carried me. The air ambulance took me to Leeds General Infirmary as it is a trauma centre and the helicopter can land on top of it."

Mr Broughton underwent a total hip replacement and is now recovering at home in Ilkley.

The 18 to 20-mile walk Mr Broughton was undertaking on October 19 was a training walk in preparation for a charity trek in Nepal this month. The trek was to raise money for the Juniper Trust which, as a member of the Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club, Mr Broughton has been active in raising money for.

The trust helps communities in Nepal devastated by earthquakes and Mr Broughton had been looking forward to meeting those who had been helped by the money raised locally.

He now plans to get fit and travel to Nepal at a later date. "I have been walking all my life and I have a lot of walking left to do," he said. "This hip has to work.

"I am mobilising at home but it will take time and I have to be sensible. I have to set myself targets and hope to be able to walk the Skipton Santa run at the end of the month."

Mr Broughton is now calling on everyone to support the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Service and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. He added: "You have to help upfront, hoping that you don't have any use for them. If you don't they might not be there when you need them."

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