Crews rescue landworker who was ‘buried’ under tree root for two hours

A landworker had to be airlifted to hospital after getting ‘buried’ under a large tree root while clearing debris following a storm in Angus.

A multi-agency rescue effort was launched on the Glen Clova Estate at 2pm on Friday, February 25, to save a man after he had been buried under the unstable root plate of a collapsed tree, during attempts to clear wind-fallen debris following recent storms.

Tayside Mountain Rescue Team were called to assist Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance with the rescue operation.

After two hours, the man was released and was flown to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, for treatment.

He is currently “recovering well” from the incident at home.

Police MRT leader constable Paul Morgan said: “The events in Glen Clova on Friday were highly dramatic and required a very varied skillset to resolve successfully.

“Thanks to joint-services training and the mutual understanding that Police, MRT, Fire + Rescue and the NHS have, everyone was able to play to their strengths and work together over an extended period to rescue the casualty.

“I can safely say that it was one of the finest pieces of multi-agency rescue work I have been involved in during my many years of both Policing and Mountain Rescue work and every one of the responders involved were a credit to their respective service.

“I am delighted to report that the casualty is recovering well at home and our collective best wishes are with him and his family”.

A spokesperson for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were alerted at 2.03pm on Friday to assist police in an ongoing emergency incident in the Glen Clova Estate.

“A high reach appliance was sent from Kirriemuir as well as a fire appliance from Macalpine Road station in Dundee.”