Northowram runner crawled up hill with broken leg after fall in remote Calderdale woodland

James Nuttall said he "heard something snap" and then fell to the floor while trying out a new running route in Coley Woods, between Northowram and Shelf early on Saturday morning.

The 36-year-old former soldier says without his phone and the help of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team, he would have been "really stuck".

"I was looking at a waterfall when I slipped and heard something snap and fell," he said.

When he looked down, James, who is now a personal trainer and works in a care home, faced the grim sight of his left foot facing the opposite way to normal, with a bone protruding.

His experience in the military told him to move it back into position, despite the excruciating pain, but he knew he would still not be able to walk on it.

With only his two dogs - Rex and Nyx - around, he rang 999, who alerted Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team.

So that he could be found more easily, he managed to crawl up a muddy hill, despite his broken leg.

When the search and rescue team arrived, they gave him pain relief, warmed him and up and put a splint on his leg before carrying him on a stretcher to an ambulance.

He has needed a metal plate and screws inserted into his left fibula, and will be in a cast for at least six weeks.

James is sharing his experience to highlight the work of, and thank, the volunteers of Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team.

He also wants to urge other runners to ensure they take their phones with them when they go out, and consider downloading the what3words app which can identify precise locations.

"I always take my phone with me when I'm running as I use it to listen to music. If I hadn't had my phone, I would have been stuck."

He added: "I will be going back to finish that run. I'm not going to let it beat me."

Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team is a charity and is made up of trained volunteers who carry out rescues 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more information and how to support them, visit https://cvsrt.org.uk/