A group of Angus gamekeepers swapped land for blue sky to raise money for a lifeline rural service.
Labourer Gary Croll was 1700ft up a hillside in Glen Esk when he collapsed from a brain haemorrhage at Easter.
Although his Millden Estate colleagues got an ambulance to the hill, it was decided a helicopter from Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance was needed to take him to Ninewells Hospital, 45 minutes away.
Mr Croll is now back at work, and the estate labourers decided to give something back to the air service after several incidents in remote parts of the glen.
Head gamekeeper Jason Clamp, 44, one of 11 keepers from the Angus Glens Moorland Group who have raised almost £3,000 from a Forth Rail Bridge abseil, said the helicopter arrived 10 minutes after the call went in.
“Gary complained he was feeling unwell,” he said. “The next thing, he just dropped to the ground. We called an ambulance and managed to get him in the recovery position.
“When the land ambulance couldn’t get him off the hill, the helicopter was there in 10 minutes and took him straight to Ninewells.
“Thankfully he is back working now and getting regular checks but specialists say the type of brain haemorrhage he had, many don’t survive.”
A trainee gamekeeper on a neighbouring estate was rescued when damaging his back falling from a snow bike.
Air services were called for a guest on the same estate who suffered a suspected heart attack in November, and Gannochy Estate owner Allan Hemmings was airlifted from a tree during a sudden river surge while fishing.
Moorland group coordinator Lianne MacLennan joined the abseiling keepers after prompting the drive to help the Perth-based air emergency service.
“A few of the keepers in the group said immediately that abseiling was not for them because they didn’t like heights too much, but the ones who did it really enjoyed it,” she said.
“It was good fun but it was also important to do our bit because the charity do great work in places where it’s really needed.”
Fiona Dennis from SCAA met the group on top of the bridge to say thanks.