Rescuers with the injured walker. Photo: Keswick MRT

A walker was airlifted from a route on England’s highest mountain after suffering a head injury after tumbling 200ft.

The 55-year-old man was with friends on the Corridor Route on Scafell Pike when he slipped on ice.

Rescuers said his companions bandaged his head and managed to stop the worst of the bleeding. He declared himself fit to walk, but as they neared Sty Head, he became unsteady, and the group stopped.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 2.05pm on Sunday.

A team spokesperson said: “In the meantime, the team had mobilised swiftly and had enquired about the availability of an air ambulance.

“Initially this was thought unnecessary as he was a walking casualty.

“However, when the team arrived on scene at the casualty, they discovered that his initial fall had been a 60m tumbling slide which ended with him colliding with a boulder at the foot of a snow slope.

“He was treated at the scene and the team began evacuating him by stretcher towards Seathwaite. Fortunately, at this point, the Great North Air Ambulance became available, and the casualty was picked up and flown to the Cumberland Infirmary at Carlisle.”

The rescue involved 18 team members for more than 3¾ hours.