He stopped and she ran around to the driver’s side while he grabbed the bag. She set off and traffic parted for the vehicle as Johnny changed clothes in the passenger seat. Mountain rescue told them to go to the Keswick helipad. As they drove, more details of the disaster filtered through and Kelly began to piece together a picture in her head. They knew that the helicopter had come down on its own at least and no other airborne vehicle was involved. There were countless witnesses, thanks to the fell race. They knew there were multiple casualties. The priority of getting as many hands as possible up there was to keep people alive. A tourniquet, or some CPR, could be the difference between life and death. Minutes and seconds mattered, and the emergency services, with all of their skill and training and the best will in the world, wouldn’t be able to mobilise properly on top of a mountain for maybe hours. Triage on the mountainside was vital. It’s all they thought about as they turned off the M6 on to the A66 towards Keswick, lights still flashing and traffic moving to the side of the road for them.

By the time they reached the Air Ambulance helicopter, waiting in the field opposite Hope Park in Keswick, by the lake, they were fully prepared. They parked in the car park, grabbing their bags. The Keswick mountain rescue was situated at the lake, and they headed there. It was the quickest way across to Scafell Pike, over the mountains and valleys preventing road access. Teams from coastal towns were proceeding along the road beside Wast Water, but it would take them hours to reach the casualties. Helicopter evacuation was vital. The chopper had already made one journey to the site, with as much fire extinguishing equipment as it could carry, and the Wasdale MRT had already begun their ascent to the new aluminium stretcher box up on Sty Head pass, on the Corridor route. The news was grim. Johnny got the okay from the team to jump in the next helicopter with Kelly, and they headed to the metal craft, its blades already whirring slowly around.

The horrific accident was an example of why she hated helicopters: they were death traps. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) had already been alerted and a thorough investigation would take place, but first the scene had to be secured, and medical aid given to those who were still alive.