A 10-year-old girl was trapped beneath rocks for over three hours at Dartmoor’s Hound Tor on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency rescue effort that used a bottle of Fairy Liquid to free her. Emergency services, including Devon Cave Rescue Organisation, Dartmoor Search and Rescue, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, South Western Ambulance Service, HART, and Devon Air Ambulance, worked in tough heat conditions to rescue the youngster after she slipped and became wedged in a narrow rock tunnel system.
Trapped Under Rocks
The child was exploring the popular Devon beauty spot when her thigh became stuck beneath one of Hound Tor’s large rock formations. Despite her trapped leg, she remained uninjured and in good spirits. Group leaders on site initially tried to free her before emergency services arrived.
Multi-agency Rescue
Specialist teams carefully assessed the situation, moving the girl slightly with technical equipment, but were unable to free her completely. Devon Cave Rescue Organisation was called in for additional expertise alongside other emergency crews to coordinate the challenging rescue under hot weather.
Unusual Rescue Aid
Rescuers employed an unexpected solution—a bottle of Fairy Liquid was used to lubricate the tight rock gap, easing the girl’s extraction. After painstaking efforts lasting over three hours, the youngster was successfully freed.
Safe And Well
Following her release, the child was checked by ambulance crews and walked off the hill unaided. She was later seen smiling and taking a selfie with members of the rescue teams who helped save her. A spokesperson for Dartmoor Search and Rescue praised the professionalism and teamwork displayed throughout the complicated operation.
