The scene of the mountain biking incident on Lonscale Fell. Photo: Keswick MRT

A mountain biker’s helmet saved him from a more serious injury when he fell off at high speed on a Lake District fell.

The 65-year-old was with a group using electric bikes and was descending the Glenderaterra Valley on Sunday when the incident happened on the flanks of Lonscale Fell.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 2.30pm on Sunday as members were returning to base from another callout.

A team spokesperson said the cyclist said it was ironic he crashed where he did having survived the earlier far more technical sections of path and fell on a relatively straightforward albeit fast section of flattish track.

“He tumbled onto his shoulder, side and head injuring his shoulder and ribs and he may have momentarily passed out,” the spokesperson said. “His recently bought helmet had significant scuffing on one side which undoubtedly prevented a serious head injury.

“His partner arrived on the scene shortly after and managed to apply a triangular bandage to support his arm for what was probably a broken collar bone.”

Rescuers gave the biker pain relief before putting him on a stretcher and carrying him to their vehicles at the top of Latrigg before transferring him to an ambulance which took him to hospital for further treatment.

Fourteen Keswick MRT volunteers took part in the two-hour rescue.

Rescuers aid the walker as she descends Eagle Crag. Photo: Keswick MRT

Earlier in the day the team was called to Eagle Crag in Borrowdale.

One member of a local walking group began feeling unwell on the steep ascent up the nose of the fell near Stonethwaite.

The team spokesperson said: “She sat on a rock to rest but shortly afterwards fainted and fell off the rock.

“With no history of such incidents and a continuing unwell feeling they decided to call for help. One of the group descended to the public phone box in Stonethwaite to call the police and mountain rescue.”

A Land Rover with five team members made its way to the area, followed shortly by a Sprinter with more members in case a stretcher-carry was needed.

The spokesperson said: “The team arrived on scene and did a quick assessment before helping the lady who was able to walk slowly down the hill and back to the Land Rover for a lift to their own vehicle in Stonethwaite.”

The two-hour rescue involved 14 team members.