The RAF Sea King approaches to winch the walker from Sourmilk Gill. Photo: Keswick MRT

A walker was seriously injured when he fell while tackling the Coast to Coast route through the Lake District.

The 70-year-old man took what rescuers described as a major tumbling fall while coming down Sourmilk Gill above Seathwaite yesterday.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 6.05pm and a member who lives locally went straight to the scene, where the walker had suffered major head, chest and back injuries.

A team Land Rover also made its way to the site and two other team vehicles followed.

A Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “A request was made for an RAF Sea King and an air ambulance to effect a quick recovery to hospital.

“Once the casualty was packaged, he was winched out of the gill, and flown down to Seathwaite Farm, where he was transferred to the air ambulance. This flew him to the James Cook Hospital at Middlesbrough.

“The team made arrangements for his walking companion to be taken over by car.”

The 3½-hour rescue involved 23 volunteer rescue team members.