The Coastguard helicopter at the scene of the Sail incident. Photo: Keswick MRT

A Lake District walker was airlifted from a fell after injuring his ankle badly in a slip.

The Caernarfon Coastguard helicopter, which was in the area, flew to the site near the summit of Sail, east of Crag Hill.

The aircraft’s winchman was lowered to the injured walker and the helicopter then flew to Crow Park in Keswick to pick up Keswick Mountain Rescue Team members, who had been alerted to the incident shortly before 4pm on Thursday.

A team spokesperson said: “The injured person was flown to the Cumberland Infirmary at Carlisle and the team members accompanied the casualty’s friend back to Braithwaite.”

The rescue team and helicopter had earlier in the afternoon been involved in a search on Latrigg after a member of the public reported seeing a paraglider crash into the wooded flank of the fell.

The spokesperson said: “A team Land Rover was deployed with four members who searched the area.

“This was later supported by a Coastguard helicopter who did several circuits but could not find the crash site.

“A case of reporting a potential incident with good intent.”

Six Keswick MRT members were involved in the incident for 3¼ hours.