The Great North Air Ambulance on the mountain during the Bow Fell rescue. Photo: GNAAS

The crew of an air ambulance battled Arctic conditions to airlift an injured walker from a Lake District mountain.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service’s Pride of Cumbria helicopter managed to take off from Bow Fell minutes before weather closed in on Sunday.

The crew was scrambled from its base near Penrith about 3.15pm to help Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team members who had gone to the aid of the Kendal man on the 902m (2,959ft) fell.

The walker, in his 50s, slipped and fell on ice.

A GNAAS spokesperson said: “The pilot managed to land the helicopter on the ice-covered terrain about a quarter of a mile away from the casualty due to strong winds and cloud.

“The aircrew doctor and paramedic then battled against the strong winds across the snow and ice with windchill temperatures -19C.

“On scene they assessed and treated the casualty for a suspected fracture dislocation of the shoulder before helping the casualty to the aircraft and flying to hospital minutes before the weather closed in.”

He was flown to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, where his condition was described as stable on arrival.