The Coastguard helicopter at Great End, with the cragfast walker, centre right. Photo: Keswick MRT

A walker was winched to safety by a rescue helicopter after getting stuck on steep ground on a Lake District fell.

The man separated from companions in his group while descending Great End in the central fells on Saturday.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, which was called out to aid the walker at 2.35pm, said: “One of the party split from the group and decided on an unusual direct descent towards Sprinkling Tarn.

“Unfortunately he became cragfast about a third of the way up the cliff and made the wise decision to call 999 for help.”

The team spokesperson said a member of Cockermouth MRT, who was in the area, provided them with information and potential means of rescuing the man from the crags.

“While Keswick MRT made their way up Grains Gill for a potential rope rescue from the summit of Great End, a request was also made to the Coastguard for helicopter support,” the spokesperson said.

The Prestwick Coastguard helicopter flew to the scene and at 4.30pm winched the walker from the fell and flew him down to Seathwaite in Borrowdale.

The Keswick MRT members then made their way back down Grains Gill.

The incident lasted just over 3¼ hours and involved 14 volunteers from the Keswick team.