The air ambulance at the site at Rigg Head. Photo: Keswick MRT

Rescuers in the Lake District had a busy start to 2017 with four incidents that led to callouts.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 1pm on New Year’s Day when a group of walkers came across a man who had fallen and suffered a suspected broken leg.

The walker was found above Rigg Head, near Wilson’s Bield, north-east of Dalehead Tarn.

A Keswick team spokesperson said: “The team checked on the location, and decided the best access route was via Rosthwaite and the Rigg Head path, and one Land Rover with five personnel left immediately.

“A second vehicle waited until sufficient numbers had arrived, then made its way down to Rosthwaite as well. However, while this was on the way, word was received that Helimed 08 from Blackpool was en route, and was due in 10 minutes.

“The second crew therefore stood by at New Bridge, in case of a further callout – as the valley was full of walking groups – while the first truck’s crew dealt with getting the casualty loaded into the helicopter.”

After the injured man was placed in the aircraft, he was flown to Furness General Hospital in Barrow in Furness for further treatment.

The spokesperson said: “Our thanks to the North West Air Ambulance who saved us a long carry down.”

The three-hour rescue involved 17 volunteers from Keswick MRT.

Earlier in the day, Patterdale MRT was called out to aid a woman who fell and suffered a suspected broken ankle while walking in Grisedale.

Team members treated the walker at the scene before stretchering her to one of its Land Rovers.

The two-hour incident involved 14 team members.

Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team was also called out in the late morning after a man slipped on a damp rocky path while walking on Wansfell.

The man suffered a suspected fracture and dislocation of his hip in the fall.

Team members treated the walker at the scene and he was then stretchered to the Great North Air Ambulance and airlifted to hospital.

Fifteen volunteer team members were involved in the rescue, which lasted 1½ hours.

Two teams were also involved in a New Year’s Day rescue when a man fell near the summit of the Old Man of Coniston and injured his leg.

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team was called out and enlisted the help of Duddon and Furness MRT to take part in the long stretcher carry down to rescue vehicles at Bursting Stone Quarry.