Hollow Stones, scene of the rescue

A walker was airlifted from England’s highest mountain after breaking her ankle when she stumbled in the darkness.

The woman suffered her fall at Hollow Stones, 510m (1,673ft) up on Scafell Pike about midnight last night.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 12.15am and team members made their way to the site, on the main route between Wasdale and Scafell Pike summit.

A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire flew to the scene and winched the walker aboard after she had been given pain relief by the Wasdale team.

The volunteer mountain rescuers also carried her a short distance uphill to a better site for winching.

The team’s doctor was also winched aboard and the medic and injured walker were flown to West Cumberland Hospital, Whitehaven, for the casualty to receive further treatment.

The rescue, the team’s 42nd of the year, lasted almost five hours and involved 16 volunteer Wasdale MRT members.