A man who fell and broke his ankle on Iona has left a glowing review for his rescuers.
Retired tugboat captain Chris King got more service than he bargained for during a week-long holiday to Mull.
He and wife Anne, both 66, were reliant on strangers when a day trip to Iona ended with a nasty injury.
The couple walked to the top of Iona’s highest point, Dun I, when Chris slid on wet grass broke and his ankle.
Chris said: “Two nights prior to our day on Iona there had been a huge amount of rain. Dun I was still very wet underfoot.
“As we descended, my feet decided to give me my first try at grass skiing. I proved to be a poor student and fell, slid and eventually landed in a heap complete with a broken ankle.”
With no mobile signal, Anne had to leave Chris and rush for help.
The first person she found was Sarah Macdonald, 34, who works in the Iona Community shop.
Shop assistant Sarah to the rescue
The drama unfolded just after 4pm on April 6.
Chris said: “Sarah called 999, then left my wife to wait by the phone for updates and headed out to me armed with chocolate and hot sweet tea.
“En route she heard that the Air Sea Rescue Helicopter was to be mobilized.
“Sarah found me sitting enjoying the stunning views of the Sound of Iona. We were soon to be joined by the Mull coastguard and then the Iona doctor.
“The cheerful team around me checked me over and agreed that my ankle was definitely broken and dislocated. The radio crackled to inform us that the helicopter was only six minutes away.
“Upon landing the paramedic, Tom, jumped out and joined our party. They put a quick plan together to lay me on a stretcher and carry my 17 stone hulk up to the waiting helicopter.
“Lots of cheery ‘good lucks’ and ‘goodbyes’ were shouted as I was whisked away on the most stunning flight to Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.”
During his rescue, Chris said a woman who said she was the island doctor even came up the hill and and offered to help. But everything was taken care of.
Dun I – the island’s highest point – can be underestimated
Dun I is 333ft above sea level, which is not high for a Scottish hill. But this can lead to visitors underestimating it.
Sarah said: “Anne came in asking for help and explained the situation. Because it’s quite common up here, I knew exactly what to do, so I just did.
“I called 999 and a helicopter came from Prestwick.
“The Ross of Mull Coastguard Rescue Team at Fionnphort are 10 minutes across the water on Mull. They came out because he was going to need stretchered up the hill to where the helicopter could take off.”
She explained some of the hazards on the hill. “The grass can get water-logged when it rains a lot. It can be like walking on ice when the grass is like that.”
Sarah added: “I went up to check on him and keep him company. He was so cheerful, laughing and joking.
“It was a beautiful afternoon for it. He had fallen in a hollow bit of the hill, which was quite sheltered. This allowed him to enjoy the view while he waited.
“I think people can get deceived because Iona is so small. They think it is safe. It’s really common. The easiest, fastest way to get them help is to send a helicopter.”
Chris is recovering well at home
After an operation on the Saturday, Chris was able to leave hospital on Easter Sunday.
The couple returned home to New Forest, Hampshire, where Chris is recuperating.
Along with their fond memories of the holiday on Mull and Iona, they also have quite the story to tell.
Sarah was delighted to hear that everything ended well. She said: “I got a message from his wife the following day letting us know everything was OK. Getting that made everyone feel better.
“I had to convince her to get on the last ferry because they had a holiday house on Mull where they were staying for the week. I didn’t want her to get stuck on Iona on Easter weekend.”
Praising her husband’s rescuers, Anne said: “The way it was handled was just really re-assuring.”
Chris said every person on Iona and in Glasgow involved in his care deserve “sainthood status”.
He added: “My faith in humanity has been greatly restored. If the rest of the world could be like those I met during my nine days in Scotland, what a happy and caring world we would have.”
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