Rescuers at the scene in Guisborough Woods. Photo: Cleveland MRT

A walker was rescued after collapsing while walking in the North York Moors.

Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 10.30am today when the 74-year-old from Yarm, North Yorkshire, became unwell while walking with friends in Guisborough Woods.

Team spokesman Graeme White said a group of seven friends where taking part in one of their regular hikes when one of them started feeling unwell in a remote area at Hanging Stone, one of the highest points in the area.

Mr White said North East Ambulance Service contacted the team after receiving a 999 call, due to the difficult location.

“Members of the team and ambulance paramedics were able to reach the casualty’s location by driving for 2km over the snow-covered forestry tracks in the team’s Land Rover ambulance and then walking with medical and evacuation equipment for 500m up the snow-covered paths,” the spokesman said.

“Due to the poor weather at the time the Great North Air Ambulance was unable to land so the unwell walker was loaded on to a mountain rescue stretcher and taken down the path to the nearby forestry track and the waiting Land Rovers. He was then driven across the tracks to Hutton Village and the waiting ambulance for transport to James Cook University Hospital.

Mr White added: “This was quite a difficult incident due to the remote location and the wintry conditions but it is a situation for which we train regularly and one for which we are well equipped.”

The rescue involved 20 volunteer team members and lasted three hours. It was the fifth callout of the year for Cleveland MRT.