Rescuers with the air ambulance near the scene of the incident. Photo: Cockermouth MRT

A mountain biker suffered multiple injuries when he crashed in the Lake District.

The rider, who was visiting the area from the Netherlands, went over his handlebars in the accident near Loweswater on Thursday.

Ambulance staff requested the help of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, whose members were called out about 4pm.

The biker took a tumbling fall, suffering multiple injuries to his upper body. The Great North Air Ambulance was also scrambled and its crew was first on the scene.

Cockermouth MRT members then helped to treat the injured man and package him on to a stretcher before carrying him 250m to the waiting helicopter. He was then airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.

Team leader Andrew McNeil said: “On arrival it was clear the casualty had some potentially serious injuries.

“Both the crew of Helimed 58 [the air ambulance] and the team worked brilliantly together, and we wish the casualty a speedy recovery.”

The rescue lasted just over two hours and was the team’s 20th of 2019. It involved 20 volunteers from Cockermouth MRT.