Team members at the boulder field with the fallen climber. Photo: Keswick MRT

A Lake District climber had an unlucky break while celebrating his birthday.

The man fell more than 30ft while leading a climb on Miners Crag in Newlands on Tuesday.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 7.30pm after a call for help.

A team spokesperson said: “The initial call was to what was assumed to be a straightforward broken ankle of a walker at the head of the Newlands valley, on a lovely summer’s evening. So most set off in T shirt and shorts, thinking we’d be back in a couple of hours.

“When we arrived, it was to find this was in fact a lead climber who had fallen 10m off Miners Crag, landing on his ankle. This was by way of celebration of his 63rd birthday.

“Because it was a fall from height, he was treated for possible spinal damage, and the team requested an S-92 helicopter to winch him out from what was an unstable boulder field, just beneath the crag.

“He was splinted and then carried out to a point suitable for the helicopter to winch.”

The climber is winched into the Coastguard helicopter. Photo: Keswick MRT

The Caernarvon Coastguard helicopter flew to the site, but because of a stiff breeze blowing up the pass, took time to align itself ready for a 40m winch into the aircraft. The injured climber was then flown to Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness.

The spokesperson said: “The team then extricated itself and its kit from the boulder field, and walked back down to the vehicles at Castle Nook, arriving back at base four hours after callout.”

The rescue involved 18 volunteers from Keswick MRT.