Achi news desk-
On the first day of the trip, Ms Houghton and her friends had planned to visit the Old Man Of Hoy, but due to bad weather, they decided to go abseiling instead on the Yesnaby cliffs.
When she jumped, the anchor which ties the abseiler to the edge of the cliff missed, and Ms Houghton fell to the rocks below before plunging into the sea.
Her friends were then able to pull her out.
Ms Houghton said: “I remember falling, and then being pulled out of the water by my friends.
“It all happened so quickly”.
After being pulled from the water, she added: “I remember people passing by on the clifftop throwing their coats down to try and keep me warm, but I remember feeling hot
“My vision started to get blurry, but I also felt a wave of adrenaline and I started chatting with my friends.”
Yesnaby Cliffs, where Ms Houghton fell during an abseiling accident (RNLI/PA) (Image: PA)Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers, including Peter Mackay, soon arrived to treat her at the scene.
Mr Mackay, who has volunteered with Stromness RNLI for 11 years, said that although she was conscious at first, she appeared to be deteriorating rapidly.
He said: “I had to make a decision as Louise was slipping in and out of consciousness.
“I did an initial assessment and asked another member of the crew to come and help me put her on a stretcher, and then transfer her to the all-weather lifeboat”.
READ MORE: Why I joined the RNLI after volunteers saved my life
Ms Houghton was transferred to Stromness RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Violet Dorothy and Kathleen, and was then winched by a coastguard helicopter to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.
Mr Mackay said: “I had to wait on the rocks while they transferred Louise to the lifeboat, but when she arrived, the crew didn’t think she was still with us.
“Fortunately, she regained consciousness and left with the Coastguard helicopter. She definitely left in a better way than how we found her”.
Ms Houghton showing off a t-shirt she made before a 10k race to raise money for the RNLI. (Image: (RNLI/PA))Ms Houghton, who would spend a total of four months in hospital following the accident, said: “I broke my left arm, my back in several places, my pelvis and both of my feet.
“I wasn’t allowed to stand for 12 weeks until I could bear weight.
“I needed extra care and was put on a rehabilitation ward.
“My whole life changed in an instant.
“I went to be active and outdoors, to not be able to stand for 12 weeks.
“It was physically and mentally challenging, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family and friends.
“Nor can I forget the amazing RNLI volunteers who came to my rescue, without them I wouldn’t be here today.”
READ MORE: RNLI to mark bicentenary with service at Glasgow Cathedral
Ms Houghton later met the RNLI crew to express her thanks.
He said: “It was great to meet the crew that saved me that day and say thank you to them.
“They talked me through the rescue and told me things I didn’t remember from that day.”
He later ran a 5k and 10k to raise money for the RNLI.
Volunteers from Stromness RNLI (Image: PA)He said: “The volunteer crew saved my life that day, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
On Monday, the RNLI revealed that there were 1,251 lifeboat dispatches in Scotland during 2023, a 12% increase on the previous year.
Crews from 46 lifeboat stations saved 15 lives in Scotland in 2023.
The RNLI is now asking supporters to take part in its Mayday Mile fundraising campaign, an initiative where supporters can travel a mile every day throughout May to raise money for the lifeboat service.
Jill Hepburn, regional head of the RNLI in Scotland, says: “Summer is our busiest time of year, with thousands of people at risk of danger near the water.
“Having recently marked the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, we are putting out our call for help to raise the money that will help keep our lifesaving service going today and into the future.
“As a charity we rely on the support and generosity of the public to take part in events such as The Mayday Mile and raise the money that allows us to be there when we are needed most.”
