A walker died yesterday after falling 90m (300ft) from Sharp Edge on Blencathra in the northern Lake District.

The man, aged 60, from Lancaster, was with his son when the accident happened about 1pm.

Sharp Edge, the grade-one scramble to the summit plateau of Blencathra 

A spokesman for Cumbria Constabulary said: “He was airlifted to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, but was pronounced dead on arrival.”

His next-of-kin have been informed, but he has not been formally identified.

Sharp Edge is one of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team’s blackspots. It has steep drops on either side and there are sections where a precarious step has to be made on to a thin rock ledge. Eight people are known to have died on the ridge previously.

The edge is classed as a grade-one scramble, but its difficulty increases in wet weather when grip is considerably lessened.

The man’s death came after an appeal by Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team leader Julian Carradice to make sure they were prepared when venturing on to the Lakeland fells. Rescue teams throughout the area have reported an increased number of callouts this year.