Rescuers stretcher the camper from Dove Crag. Photo: Patterdale MRT

Several rescue teams were in action on Christmas Day to help walkers and others in distress.

Members of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team were called out at 8.45am to aid a young man who got into difficulties after camping overnight near Dove Crag.

Ambulance staff alerted the team to say the camper couldn’t make his way off the fell because of a cold injury to his feet.

A Patterdale MRT spokesperson said: “Initially six team members made their way to the scene but when it became apparent that the young man would need stretchering down a further eight fell members were required.

“In total 15 team members gave up six hours of their Christmas Day to evacuate him down to the valley bottom and a waiting ambulance.”

Members of the Keswick team were called out later the same day when a man walking with a family group slipped on frozen ground on Lingy Banks and badly injured his knee.

His wife called for help and Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 1.40pm and one team vehicle set off to the site.

A team spokesperson said: “On the way to the incident it was reported that the injured party had decided to self-rescue using an improvised splint.

“He was, however, met by a paramedic team member who lived locally. As the man was very near to Rosthwaite the rest of team was stood down and the team member accompanied the man to Rosthwaite for a handover with the ambulance service.”

The one-hour incident involved 10 Keswick MRT volunteers.

Teams in Northumberland were called out about 2.45pm when a walker suffered a lower leg injury on Hadrian’s Wall.

Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team was joined by colleagues from North of Tyne MRT in helping ambulance staff at the scene.

A national park team spokesperson said: “Working alongside paramedics, team members made the casualty as comfortable as possible and warmed them up before transferring them to a stretcher.

“Team members then carried the walker to the nearest road at Caw Gap before handing over the casualty to the crewed ambulance for onward transport to hospital. Following a hot debrief, our volunteers then made their way home to resume their Christmas Day celebrations.

“We wish the casualty a very speedy recovery and hope that they are out enjoying the beautiful Northumberland countryside again soon.”

The four-hour incident involved 18 team members.

The walker, who had improvised a splint, was met by a team member at Rosthwaite. Photo: Keswick MRT

In the Yorkshire Dales, the Cave Rescue Organisation was called out after reports that a Three Peaks walker was in difficulties.

A friend reported the 44-year-old man attempting the Three Peaks Challenge was lost, cold, alone and disoriented with minimum food and not appropriately dressed about 500m from the top of Ingleborough.

A CRO spokesperson said the missing man’s car was located in Horton in Ribblesdale. “With no further information to go on and no communication with the [missing person], the duty controller organised team members to begin searching different routes on to the hill.

“As the search was going on, the misper returned to his car, found our note on his windscreen and connected his mobile phone, discovering the series of messages that had been left for him. An hour later, all vehicles and team members were back at base or at home.

“It seems that the misper had been confused by the signs warning of the temporary diversion above Humphrey Bottom, so that by the time he had climbed the steepest part of the hill it was dark and with low cloud.

“His GPS battery died, followed by his mobile phone battery, after he had phoned the friend. He had taken the wise precaution of carrying a spare battery pack but, unfortunately, had left the connecting lead at home.

“Although uncertain of where he was – probably Simon Fell – he did have a map and compass, so headed east until he found a wall to follow down into Ribblesdale, hitting the road near Selside. He then walked down the road to Horton, but after the CRO members had already driven the route looking for him.”

Rescuers stretcher the injured walker to Grassington Bridge. Photo: UWFRA

Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association was called out about 2.20pm to deal with a walker who suffered a broken leg near the River Wharfe in Grassington.

An ambulance crew requested the team’s help in the incident.

A UWFRA spokesperson said: “The location given was near Preston. The group were contacted directly and though unsure where they were, they were able to describe their walk to where the incident occurred, enabling their location to be estimated.”

Rescuers walked in to the site behind the ambulance crew, who had also arrived at the scene.

The spokesperson said: “The casualty had the injury splinted and was carried in the team stretcher back to the ambulance which was waiting on Grassington Bridge.”

Rescuers in the Peak District were also kept busy.

A walker slipped on ice on Kinder Low, suffering a broken hip and injuring her wrist.

Kinder MRT was called out about 2pm. A team spokesperson said: “With a description of their location we despatched a search dog, supported by a number of hill parties. The lady and partner were located on top of Kinder Low east of the burial cairn.

“We were unable to get a Land Rover beyond Stony Ford on the Edale Track due to the ice. HM Coastguard helicopter Rescue 912 responded to our request for assistance but upon arrival the cloud base had lowered a little, so they were unable to reach the casualty site and hovered over Stony Ford, before having to return to their base.

“We sledged the casualty down from Kinder Low to Stony Ford and carried her in our stretcher down to our vehicles at Moorgate. She was brought down to our base in Hayfield and handed over to an ambulance crew from East Midlands Ambulance Service who took her to hospital.

“We then returned to our families to enjoy the evening and turkey dinners. We send our best wishes and hope that she makes a quick recovery.”

The incident lasted 4½ hours and involved 22 Kinder MRT volunteers.

Colleagues from the Edale team had earlier been called out to reports of a walker briefly losing consciousness at Hollins Cross.

Edale MRT members were alerted at 10.40am. A spokesperson said: “As the team were mobilising the walker felt fit enough to make their own way back to the ambulance.

“The team still continued to make their way to the rendezvous point in case things took a turn for the worse. Luckily it didn’t, and once the casualty was checked over by the paramedics the team were stood down to return to their families for the remainder of Christmas Day.”

Buxton MRT was called out late in the morning after a walker slipped on ice in the Goyt Valley.

A team spokesperson said: “While out enjoying a walk with her family along the old railway line, a lady slipped on ice which had formed on the trail, sustaining injuries requiring medical help.

“Other walkers helped make her comfortable while a 999 call was made to our colleagues in the East Midlands Ambulance Service. They were quickly on scene but given the distance of the site from the road, called out Buxton Mountain Rescue Team to organise the patient evacuation.”

Team members were called out at 11.50am. Buxton MRT 4×4 vehicles were able to drive along the track to the scene.

Rescuers in Northumberland were called to the incident on Hadrian's Wall. Photo: NNPMRT

The spokesperson said: “While pain relief was being administered the lady was moved on to the mountain rescue stretcher and wrapped in a casualty bag to protect her against the sub-zero temperatures.

“With the stretcher wheel in place, team members were able to carry the casualty for approximately one kilometre back to the waiting ambulance and the care of the paramedics and onward transfer to hospital.

“Team equipment was then cleaned and packed back on to the vehicles for return to base, and the next callout. We would also like to thank the walkers who helped the casualty keep warm and comfortable before the emergency services arrived on scene. During an incident our priority is the welfare of the casualty so we are grateful for the patience and understanding shown by other people in the area.

“We wish the casualty a speedy recovery and hope the family Christmas dinner was able to go ahead albeit a little late.”

North Yorkshire Police requested the help of Scarborough and Ryedale MRT after a car left the road in adverse weather in the upper reaches of Bransdale in the North York Moors national park.

The team was alerted about 4.40pm.

A team spokesperson said: “The belief was that no-one was injured. However, the two occupants were unable to self-recover the car.

“Two 4×4 team vehicles were deployed and once on scene we established that assistance was being provided by a local farmer and tractor. Once recovered, the car and occupants were escorted to Kirbymoorside and clearer roads where they were able to set off to complete their journey.”

Five team volunteers were involved for three hours in the incident.

On Boxing Day the team was called out again when a woman slipped and injured her leg.

A family group was walking on the Cleveland Way south of Scarborough when one of them suffered a lower leg injury.

An ambulance crew treated the injured walker, but requested the mountain rescue team’s help and equipment to bring the woman back to the ambulance.

The incident lasted 2¼ hours.