A NANTWICH teacher, who nearly died after falling from a sheer rock face and cracking his head on a boulder, has amazed doctors by his recovery.

Doctors feared Denis Mitchell, an experienced climber, would suffer permanent brain damage after the accident on The Roaches, in North Staffordshire, in April.

His wife Sheila was told he could suffer short-term memory loss, change of personality and that he would be unlikely to be back at work for around a year.

But just four months later he has made a full recovery and has even been back for a week to Malbank School where he works as a biology teacher.

The nightmare began when 49-year-old Denis, of Moss Lane, Cuddington, went climbing with three pals in an area popular with climbers, known as Hollybush Crack.

He was climbing up a sheer rock face when he lost his footing, fell 15 feet and hit his head on a boulder.

Rescue services had to battle through rough terrain on moorlands to reach him. It took them 20 hazardous minutes to gently stretcher him to safety in appalling rain and pitch darkness..

A police helicopter then airlifted him to North Staffordshire Infirmary - saving 30 vital minutes on the same journey by road.

Denis paid tribute to the emergency services and North Staffordshire General Hospital.

"I was flown to hospital by paramedics late at night and fortunately for me there was someone there who had the knowledge, confidence and skill to get on with the job to close my head up.

He added "I've got away with it. I could have been disabled or partly paralysed."

Denis also thanked his climbing friend Trevor Langhorne, for alerting the emergency services so promptly and everyone at Malbank School.

He said: "The staff and pupils have been sympathetic and compassionate. They have given my wife and I a lot of support."

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