Walker's 100 metre fall results in huge search and rescue operation

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team (PMRT) were called after reports of a walker falling around 100m from Swirral Edge down towards Red Tarn.

Ten team members made their way to the scene walking up from Greenside by foot. The Great North Air Ambulance also responded from Teeside but were unable to get to the casualty site and landed on Helvellyn Summit.

Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 912 from Humberside was on scene in 30 minutes from the request for assistance and winched their paramedic down to the casualty.

They landed at Patterdale where they lifted the Team Doctor and Team Leader also winching them down to the casualty site to assist with treating the injured person.

The casualty was treated for serious trauma, given strong pain relief and packaged in a vacuum mattress and placed on a stretcher and winched into the Rescue Helicopter where they were flown to a Major Trauma Hospital for further treatment.

The casualty had been walking when they tripped whilst descending Swirral Edge and unfortunately tumbled around 100m in total down rocky steep terrain before coming to a stop on the headwall above Red Tarn.

A spokesperson for PMRT said: “The Team would like to thank both Coastguard Rescue 912 for their swift assistance and also the members of the public who went to help the injured walker.

“The team wish the casualty swift recovery and healing.

“19 Team members were involved in the Rescue which took 5 hours to complete.”