Injured walker rescued in 12-hour operation

A walker with injuries to his head, arms, back and legs has been rescued after a 12-hour operation by mountain rescue teams.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was called to Red Ghyll, in the Lord's Rake area of the Lake District, after reports of someone shouting in the area at 20:49 BST on Tuesday.

A 43-year-old man had strayed from the Lord's Rake path and ended up 150m (492ft) below it with a number of injuries, rescuers said.

Team leader Lee Johnson said the conditions on the fell were "brutal" and his group could not have carried out the rescue without the help of nearby mountain rescue teams.

Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team was also called out due to challenging terrain and conditions, Johnson said.

Eleven volunteers were flown up Lord's Rake by a coastguard helicopter to get as close to the walker as they could.

The team worked by torchlight and managed to get to the casualty and set up a rope system in heavy rain.

They were equipped with 400m (1312ft) of rope, a crag set, vacuum mattress, casualty bag, stretcher and a first aid kit.

By 02:40 BST the volunteers were tiring and had still not begun the descent, so Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was called to provide more support.

The man was brought safely down the fell and received care from the ambulance service, rescuers said.

A spokesperson for Wasdale Mountain Rescue said: "Back at base, the team dried out kit and tucked into a well-earned bacon and sausage sandwich - with a few extra members turning out to reset the vehicles so those who'd just spent 13 hours on the hill could finally get some sleep."

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