A retired surgeon found himself supervising a helicopter evacuation while taking part in a trek to help people in a remote mountainous area of Nepal.

Rotarian Andrew Broughton, 71, was one of a group of people from Ilkley taking part in the Trek With A Purpose, helping build facilities to improve the quality of life for people in the ‘Hidden Himalayas’ of North West Nepal.

His skills were put to good use in the Humla region, acting as an advisory medical officer at local health clinics, as well as carrying out the duties of team doctor.

But he was forced to call in help from outside after a fellow volunteer on the Nepal Trust trek fell ill with an e.coli infection.

Another volunteer, and member of Ilkley Wharfedale Rotary Club, Gary Williams, said: “One of the guys was seriously dehydrated – he was very poorly. Andrew was monitoring him, and he decided it was time for an emergency evacuation.”

Another member of the party, Ilkley dentist Owen Higgs, also put his expertise to good use.

Mr Higgs and a dentist from Somerset were swiftly called into action to operate on 39 local patients, shortly after completing a challenging 12-mile hike to high altitudes.

The volunteers travelled out to Nepal in September. After a few days in Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, they headed to Jumla to start the trek to Simikot in the Humla region.

The group also trekked for a day to Bargaun, where the Nepal Trust is funding the construction of a birthing centre in an attempt to reduce child mortality.