Souther Fell, scene of the incident. Photo: Mick Knapton CC-BY-SA-3.0

A paraglider was rescued from a Lake District fell after falling to the ground after his chute collapsed.

The 54-year-old man from Otley in West Yorkshire injured his back in the incident on Souther Fell, east of Blencathra, in which he hit the hillside after a fall of about 10m (33ft).

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 2.10pm today, and a doctor from the British Association for Immediate Care also went to the scene, 300m up on the fell.

The flier was given pain relief and put in a vacuum mattress before being flown by the Pride of Cumbria helicopter from the Great North Air Ambulance to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle for further treatment.

The rescue lasted a little more than two hours and involved 12 members of Keswick MRT in the team’s 52nd incident of the year.