I was doing some off-piste today linking up Sherwood Pines, the National Coal Board area and Vicar Water. I was exploring, so my route was not planned. I was skirting one section that is boggy all year round and I heard what sounded like a woman calling for help! It turned out to be a 13-year old boy who had ridden his motorbike into a section of deep mud. He was panicking and was passed his knees in mud. The bike later proved to be immovable, as though it was chained down.
When I got to him, I learned that he had thought the flat dry mud surface was concrete. He was well stuck and had been there half an hour. It was very hot, he had no shade, no water, no phone and was being assaulted by flies. I cut down a sapling and laid it out and he managed to walk out. He was very thirsty, and a bit frightened, although he was trying hard not to show it. I had a phone, but no signal. The lad didn't even know a phone number that I could ring once I had got a signal. He was bloody lucky that I was passing as he could have been there for hours. No idea what condition he would have been in then.
Here is the bike with one sapling in place.
View attachment 124509
I got him out of the sun, gave a him a drink and cut four more bushy saplings (Birch, I think). The idea was to lay a firm(ish) path for us both to get out there and retrieve the bike. What a waste of time that was the bike was well and truly rigidly stuck! It felt as though it was chained to the bottom of the mud patch. If I had persisted, there might have been two of us needing help.
By this time, he had stripped off his body armour, helmet and gloves, his white body was starting to go pink. I kept telling him to go lay down in the shade, but he was more concerned about his bike than anything else. I told him that nobody would be nicking that bike, it would need a big 4-wheel drive and plenty of strong rope to retrieve it.
He started to feel unwell and had a headache, dehydration I think, so I gave him the last of my water and made him lie down in the shade. I reassured him that I would be back and went in search of a signal. I had just enough of a signal whilst with him to get a "What Three Words" location. I phoned for the Fire Brigade, but ended up with the Police.
It seems that somewhere along the way, the lad was now stuck in mud up to his neck! Well, that was the message that the Fire Brigade received!
What turned up was three Police cars, a "Drone Pilot", three Forest England guys each in their own vehicle, another car that may have been the drone pilot's car. One of the policemen told me that they had served the lad and his bike with a Section 35 for riding on private property without permission. That means it's a warning and if either he or the bike gets another Section 35, the bike will be confiscated. Seemed harsh.
Mixed in with the other vehicles was a big pick-up truck that looked 4wheel capable. In addition to that there were two First Response people from the NHS. I begged a bottle of water from one of them. The lad asked if the Fire Brigade would be getting his bike out he was told that the Fire brigade have more important things to do (see later).
When I biked over to where my car was at Vicar Water, along the way there were two ambulances parked up on the trail (probably the First Response people). When I got to Vicar Water there were two Fire Engines sat in the car park! They must have been there for nearly an hour. There was a transit van parked in front of them with a couple talking to the firemen. I asked if they were the lad's parents. They were and I then spent the next 20 mins being quizzed by the fire brigade and the parents. They had no idea where he was. While I was with the lad, I made it clear to him that going out without anyone knowing his route was dangerous. Not having any water on the hottest day of the year was stupid! Not even knowing a phone number to ring was not smart. I told his parents this, in the hope that they would ensure he was equipped next time. Not sure they were listening.
I suppose if the emergency services were looking for a lad up to his neck in mud in the middle of a forest without nearby roads, then the full turnout was appropriate. I have never seen as many before, even when five houses in my village got burgled in one night.
I will be out there again on Wednesday, I wonder if the bike will still be there? And if not, who took it?
