Team members stretcher one of the walkers from the fell. Photo: Keswick MRT

Rescuers helping an injured walker from a Lakeland fell were alerted to another fallen walker 200m below them on the same path.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team said the incident could be the fastest they have ever reached a casualty.

The team was called out about 3.30pm on Monday after reports that a man in his 70s had injured his thigh and elbow in a slip while descending from Dock Tarn to Stonethwaite.

A team spokesperson said: “He tried to continue down but eventually had to stop as he was unable to weight bear.

“A couple on the same path came across the man but as the mobile signal in this part of Borrowdale is a problem they continued to Stonethwaite where they were able to call for assistance.

“Land Rover ‘Echo’ was dispatched and the man was quickly located above the tree line and treated for cuts and provided some pain relief. While waiting for the stretcher crew in a second vehicle the casualty advised he wanted to try descending the rocky path with support from two team members.

“This was fortunate because as the man was assisted down a report came through that a female had fallen and injured her ankle about 200m down the same path and very near to the approaching stretcher team.

“This could be a Keswick MRT record in getting to a casualty!”

Both walkers were taken to a waiting ambulance whose crew checked them out before taking them to hospital in Whitehaven.

The rescues involved 20 Keswick MRT volunteers and lasted just over 2¾ hours.