Two walkers rescued after falls in the Lakes

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team and colleagues from other mountain rescue assisted two walkers who had fallen in separate incidents yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon.

The first call out was at just before 1pm when 14 members of the team went to the assistance of a male walker who had slipped and fallen while descending from Coniston Old Man towards Goats Water.

It was reported that the man had fallen and tumbled in excess of 100 metres. Due to the potentially serious nature of the incident, assistance from Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team was requested. The Great North Air Ambulance was already en route and a coastguard helicopter with winching capability was requested.

The casualty was treated for multiple serious injuries and was winched from the mountain by the coastguard helicopter.

He was flown down to the John Ruskin School playing field in Coniston where he was transferred to the air ambulance and flown to Preston Royal Infirmary.

The second emergency, an unrelated incident, was was reported at 1.24pm

The Coniston team was made aware that a female walker had fallen while ascending Coniston Old Man close to the summit.

Due to the ongoing previous incident, colleagues from Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team were contacted to deal with this rescue. Some members of Coniston Team diverted to the scene, and further support was requested from Kendal Mountain Search and Rescue Team.

The woman was treated for a suspected dislocated knee and was placed in a stretcher before being winched into the coastguard helicopter which had returned to assist after evacuating the previous casualty.

She was then flown to Furness General Hospital, in Barrow in Furness.

Both incidents involved 43 mountain rescue team members, 14 from Coniston, 14 from Duddon and Furness, eight from Langdale Ambleside, and seven from Kendal. Both incidents were concluded by 6.15pm.