A man has died after an accident on Scafell in the Lake District.

The 59-year old, who has not been named, suffered serious head and chest injuries in the fall on Broad Stand, on the route between Scafell Pike and Scafell.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) was called to the incident about 2pm. Four team members, including a doctor, were airlifted to the scene by the Great North Air Ambulance where they treated the man, who is believed to be from Cumbria.

A Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer then airlifted the casualty to West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, where he later died.

Broad Stand is the shortest route between Scafell Pike and Scafell, but involves a rock climb which, although rated ‘easy’ has exposure meaning any slip can involve a long drop. Wasdale MRT rates Broad Stand as a deceptively difficult route for walkers who are not proficient rockclimbers and one of the accident blackspots in its area.

Runners trying to achieve the Bob Graham Round often have climbers there on stand-by with ropes to help them up the rocks.

Alternative routes involve dropping down the Mickeldore couloir to the Foxes Tarn route or using Lord’s Rake, which has a perilously loose large boulder perched at its head and is subject to regular rockfalls.

24 members of the Wasdale MRT were involved in the operation, which lasted four hours. It was the seventh death in the area in five months.