Lake District mountain rescuer seriously injured after falling 150m trying to help lockdown breaker

A mountain rescuer is in a "serious condition" after falling 150m trying to reach a person who had broken lockdown rules to go camping.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue said they were called in the early hours of Saturday to help someone with chest pains who was camping on Red Screes in the Lake District.

They were making their way to the call-out when an "experienced team member" fell on steep ground.

The man was airlifted to hospital with spinal injuries and facial fractures.

Ambulance teams stretchered the person with chest pains down the hill and took them to hospital.

The two campers, from Leicester and Liverpool, were fined £200 for breaking lockdown regulations.

Mike Blakely, from the Patterdale rescue team, said: "I cannot stress enough the message to stay at home during lockdown.

"This rescue, and the subsequent life-changing injuries incurred by our team member, were avoidable.

"Rescue team members are volunteers who train extensively to rescue others in the most atrocious weathers and inhospitable places.

"However, the risks are always there and the impact of an incident like this is far reaching across the rescue and emergency services family."

Mr Blakely thanked those involved in the rescue and said the priority was now to support the man and his family.