Cavers rescued from abandoned mineshaft in Cornwall

Volunteers from Devon Cave Rescue Organisation (DCRO) were called to Phoenix United Mine in Linkinhorne, Cornwall after reports that two people were trapped.

The pair had gone into the abandoned mine at around 11am on Saturday but a friend called for help after both had failed to return at around 7.40pm.

The rescuers in action (Image: Devon Cave Rescue Organisation / SWNS)

The friend had managed to lower one of the cavers onto a ledge but this left another person around 45ft (13m) down the mine shaft - on the edge of significant drop.

One caver was left exhausted and suffered from injuries due to being held in suspension for a significant amount of time.

Devon Cave Rescue Organisation at the scene (Image: Devon Cave Rescue Organisation / SWNS)

A Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedic and a DRCO worker were lowered down the shaft, where they administered drugs and stabilised the patient.

They then packaged the caver into a specialist stretcher and brought them back to the surface just before 1am on Sunday.

One of the cavers is winched to safety (Image: Devon Cave Rescue Organisation / SWNS)

The patient was then stretchered down the waiting ambulance before being taken to hospital for further checks.

A DRCO spokesperson said: "A long cold wet night for our team of volunteers but one with a good outcome."

The view into the mineshaft (Image: Devon Cave Rescue Organisation / SWNS)