The Coastguard helicopter at the rescue scene on Helvellyn. Photo: Patterdale MRT

A walker suffered serious injuries when he fell more than 300ft from Helvellyn.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was alerted to the incident by Cumbria police about 4.55pm on Saturday.

The team said the man fell about 100m from Swirral Edge towards Red Tarn.

Patterdale MRT requested the help of a Coastguard helicopter, due to the nature of the incident and its location. Ten team volunteers also set off from their Patterdale base to head to the site.

A team spokesperson said: “The Great North Air Ambulance also responded from Teesside but were unable to get to the casualty site and landed on Helvellyn summit.

“Coastguard helicopter Rescue 912 from Humberside was on scene 30 minutes from the request for assistance and winched their paramedic down to the casualty. They then landed at Patterdale where they lifted the team doctor and team leader, also winching them down to the casualty site to assist with treating the injured person.

“The male was treated for serious trauma, given strong pain relief and then packaged in a vacuum mattress, placed on a stretcher and winched into the rescue helicopter where he was flown to the major trauma hospital at Preston for further treatment.”

The spokesperson said the man had been walking with his son when he tripped while descending Swirral Edge and tumbled about 100m in total down rocky steep terrain before coming to a stop on the headwall above Red Tarn.

“The team would like to thank both Coastguard Rescue 912 for their swift assistance and also the members of the public who went to help the injured walker. They wish him a swift recovery and hope he is back on the fells as soon as possible.”

The incident lasted five hours and involved 19 Patterdale MRT members.