Incident 27th September 2025
Mendip Cave Rescue were called by Avon and Somerset Police via SARCALL at 23:39 on 27th September 2025, following a report that a solo caver was overdue and hadn't returned from a trip into Eastwater Cavern, Priddy. With a large number of MCR members attending Hidden Earth, the national caving conference held this year in Llangollen, North Wales, the whole MCR team was put on standby in case there was a need to transport an injured caver through the cave. A small team of 3 MCR members performed an initial search of the cave and found the missing caver at the Crossroads, lost and with a failing light. The caver was escorted back to the surface, and the SARCALL incident was closed at 01:41 with everyone safe and well and back on the surface.
Incident 24th September 2025
Wiltshire Police contacted Mendip Cave Rescue, following a large fire reported at Bethel Quarry, and at 20:28 a SARCALL alert was received via Avon & Somerset Police requesting assistance. Two local MCR members attended the scene and briefed officers from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue service. Two teams of fire officers, equipped with breathing apparatus, entered the quarry but were stopped by thick smoke. MCR members were stood down at 23:59, as the smoke began to clear and visibility started to improve. A subsequent search of the mine did not find anybody. This incident was widely reported in the local news, such the Wiltshire Times.
Presentation to 999 Academy Bridgwater College
Last year MCR were invited to give a talk to students at Bridgwater College on MCR and cave rescue. The students were all on a 999 Academy course, and had presentations from various emergency services during their course. MCR members gave a presentation on the 2018 Thai cave rescue, and then held a practical session showing how casualties are packaged into stretchers to safely move them whilst underground. The session ended with a stretcher race.
Images taken by Doug Hayston, Bridgwater & Taunton College
History of Cave Rescue On Mendip
Alan Gray, the Secretary of Mendip Cave Registry and Archive, has been collating reports of all caving rescue and incidents located in the Mendip Cave Rescue region, from early reports of an incident in Pen Park Hole in 1669 through to the current day. All these reports, plus newspaper articles and extracts from log books, have been compiled into a book giving a thorough history of the cave rescue incidents that have taken place over the last 350 years, along with some information about how cave rescue equipment has evolved over the years. All of Alan's hard work has resulted in a 750+ page PDF book, that is available as a free download from the MCRA website.
