The rescue scene on Lingmell Col. Photo: Keswick MRT

Rescuers from three teams combined in a 7½-hour operation to rescue an injured walker in the Lake District.

The 47-year-old woman was descending from Scafell Pike with her husband on Wednesday when she slipped and twisted her knee.

She was unable to continue walking and called for help from Lingmell Col.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 3.29pm. A team spokesperson said: “Normally incidents in this area would be dealt with by the Wasdale team but as they were committed to another job they requested help from Keswick.

“Two vehicles were initially sent to Seathwaite in Borrowdale and, as this could be a potentially very long stretcher carry a third vehicle was also dispatched.

“By this time the forecast drizzle had arrived with strong winds on the summits. As the team made the long march up the Corridor Route requests were made for Coastguard helicopter support. However due to the conditions this was not possible.”

The injured woman was found and rescuers considered their options for getting her off the fells.

The spokesperson said: “The Duddon and Furness team were at Wasdale Head in support of the Wasdale team. They agreed to make the ascent up Lingmell and meet the Keswick team who would start the descent.

“After jointly negotiating some steep scree with a back rope the handover was made and the Duddon team continued the descent down Lingmell nose into Wasdale, while the Keswick team retuned back down the Corridor Route in darkness to Seathwaite.”

The rescue involved 19 volunteers from the Keswick team with eight colleagues from Duddon and Furness MRT and two from the Wasdale team.