The Coastguard helicopter crew winch the injured man into their helicopter. Photo: Keswick MRT

A man was airlifted to hospital after suffering serious injuries when he fell more than 300ft on the Helvellyn range.

Two rescue teams and two helicopters were involved in the operation to help the man on Friday.

Cumbria police initially alerted Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team about 5pm but as the incident was on Browncove Crags on the western side of the fell, the team passed control to their colleagues in Keswick MRT.

A Keswick team spokesperson said: “The casualty was with a friend when he slipped, was unable to ice-axe arrest and fell approximately 100m down one of the gullies.

“His friend raised the alarm then made his way around to the base of the crag to find the casualty who was conscious but in a lot of pain. Fortunately they had a bothy bag in which to shelter until the team arrived.

“A Coastguard helicopter was requested and Rescue 936 from Caernarfon attended but was unable to get to the casualty location due to the low cloud.”

The incident was the first for the team’s new leader Tom Blakely who had taken over Keswick MRT’s team leadership at its annual meeting the previous evening.

A Patterdale MRT spokesperson said: “Due to [Keswick] MRT initially being low on responding team members and seriousness of the incident, KMRT requested assistance.”

Five Patterdale members who had just returned to their base after a snowy walk on Helvellyn then travelled to the Thirlmere valley to help.

The Keswick spokesperson said: “The casualty was assessed, given pain relief and packaged for a stretcher evacuation. The casualty was lowered by rope down the steep and snowy scree fan and then sledged and carried downward.

Rescuers stretcher the injured man down the mountainside. Photo: Patterdale MRT

“The Coastguard meantime supplied a grid reference for the team to aim for, where a winch evacuation would hopefully be possible. Once the team were below the cloud R936 very skilfully flew up towards the team.”

The casualty was winched into the helicopter and taken to the base of the hill where a Great North Air Ambulance Service team were awaiting to continue medical care. The GNAAS medics then accompanied the casualty in the helicopter to hospital in Preston.

The incident involved 21 Keswick MRT volunteers and the five from the Patterdale team.

The Keswick MRT spokesperson added: “Many thanks to the five Patterdale team members who turned out to help.”