THE head of a Carnforth outdoor activities centre has defended an expedition when 11 people – including eight teenagers – were rescued after being trapped in caves.
Mick Waplington, of Borwick Hall Outdoor Education and Conference Centre, said all necessary risk assessments had been made on site and an informed decision had been made to go ahead with the caving trip.
The group, including youngsters from Unit
y College in Burnley, were stuck in rapidly-rising water in a pothole known as as Long Churn Pot between Clapham and Settle on the Lancashire-Yorkshire border on Tuesday, September 30. They had been staying at Borwick Hall.
"We have a meeting in the morning, which we have each morning to discuss the day's activities," said Mr Waplington. "We discussed the weather forecast because caving was planned and with that forecast, the leader decided to go ahead.
"On the way to the cave indicators of the water level underground were pointed out to the students as part of their educational process.
"When the group arrived a dynamic risk assessment was made and a decision was made to explore the cave."
One of the teenagers, who were between 15 and 16 years old, was taken to hospital with mild hypothermia. Three adults were also trapped.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The alarm was raised by another caver after realising that the water level was increasing.
"On seeing the empty minibus in the car park he realised that people were still in the system and raised the alarm."
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