New Year dog walk in Cornwall nightmare after Penrose fall

She has now thanked the members of the public who came to her aid, and she believes could even have saved her life – including two teenagers who helped pack her broken ankle with wet leaves and a group of farmers who carried her through woodland for 45 minutes to reach a waiting ambulance on the outskirts of Helston.

Despite being an experienced hiker and mountain climber, Denise Cooper said when she set off around Penrose she considered it simply a dog walk – and as such left behind her rucksack, which would have contained her thin foil survival blanket and other supplies to help.

It has led to her encouraging people to always plan for emergencies when setting out, saying: “Accidents can happen.”

She believes it was only because she was wearing good quality walking boots with high ankles that prevented the break being an open fracture, which would have been even more serious. As it is, she has been told she will need surgery.

Denise believes her good quality walking boots helped prevent an open fracture (Image: Denise Cooper) Denise also urged people to ask for the right help – realising in hindsight that rather than requesting an ambulance when calling 999 it should have been the coastguard or search and rescue.

Thankfully she is now back home in Wales, having had to cut her stay with friends in Helston short, but has spoken about her experience in the hope of helping others.

She told the Packet: “Luckily it wasn’t the coldest day, which might have been even worse, but it was raining buckets.

“It was a long, long wait on my own and it was very scary.”

Denise and her flat-coated retriever Beaudie had walked on New Year’s Day from the Penrose car park down past the house and café and across Loe Bar. They had just passed through the field into the first section of woodland when she tripped on a loose tree root and heard her ankle snap.

However, despite shouting and whistling for help no one heard her until another dog walker, who she only knows as Jason, came across her. Unable to support her on his own, he vowed to drop his dog back and return with help.

He later came back alongside the ambulance staff, who he brought to the right location.

An X-ray showing Denise’s broken ankle on the right (Image: Denise Cooper) Before that, however, Denise was once again on her own until two teenagers – who the Packet has since learned were Ryan Cross and Issy Goldsworthy – heard her screaming in pain and found her.

“I asked them if they could pack my leg for me, I said to get leaves under it. They very carefully put them under, which supported it and made a big difference to the pain I was in.  

“It was just lovely someone finding me after all that time.”

They also found out her location on the What3Words app, but with Denise’s husband Dave arriving not long afterwards she said for the pair to get on back as they were getting wet and cold, and they too promised to try and get help.

The muddy path shortly before Denise fell (Image: Denise Cooper) Dave was joined by their friends Alan and Sue Barker, who had brought blankets. After a good while waiting more, Jason and the ambulance staff arrived, together with a group of farmers who carried her back along the path.

She eventually got to the ambulance at around 5pm, having fallen between 2pm and 2.30pm.

“I can’t thank the people that helped enough,” she said.

“It could have happened anywhere in the country. I’ve walked this path several times. But for people who are walking in the lovely Penrose, along the very well maintained paths, the message is, accidents can still happen.”

Denise said had she still taken her survival blanket this may not have kept her very warm but it would have stopped her getting so wet. As it was, she was nearing hypothermia temperature by the time she reached the ambulance.

Beaudie the dog pictured at Loe Bar before the fall (Image: Denise Cooper) She said she had “certainly had a rethink on a few ‘rules’ for hiking alone”, including:

Suitable clothing

“Luckily I had several layers on but I still ended up soaked through and extremely cold. I wish I’d popped a foil survived blanket into my pocket. They come in a little plastic bag, weigh nothing and would have helped to keep me dry and warm. Mine was in my rucksack which I hadn’t taken along.”

Boots

“Luckily I had good, over the ankle boots on. Without them the injury could have been even more serious, possibly an open fracture.”

Phoning 999

“I made the mistake of asking for an ambulance! I, and they, should have asked for coastguards, search and rescue etc. No one knew my location on a complex network of woodland footpaths, miles from anywhere.”

Have a way of being tracked/traced

“It wasn’t until two teenagers found me that we were able to give my location, using the What3words app that they had on their mobile phone. I have downloaded the app. I have also been told about the ‘Find my Device’ app.”

Denise added: “Thank you to everyone who helped, Dave, Alan and Sue literally saved my life by finding me and covering me with dry blankets and coats. Those two children who packed piles of wet leaves under my incredibly painful leg, which took an edge off the agony. And to all my lovely family and friends for their kindness, concern and offers to help.

“Take care fellow hikers and dog walkers. Remember, accidents happen but try to be prepared.”