Rescuers set up a rope system to reach the climber. Photo: Keswick MRT

A climber was airlifted to hospital after a fall from a Lake District crag.

A member of the public in a car park below Quayfoot Buttress in Borrowdale witnessed the incident on Thursday and raised the alarm.

The climber was leading a route at the site near Grange. Rescuers said he suffered very serious injuries.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 1.30pm and volunteers made their way to the scene in two vehicles.

A team spokesperson said: “Once at the crag a small team went up to the top of the crag to perform a roped rescue, lowering a team paramedic down to the casualty.

“The team paramedic then attached the casualty to himself and our ropes for a lower off to the reception party of more team members with a stretcher and air ambulance paramedics who assessed and did some initial treatment.”

The injured climber was then stretchered down to the car park where an ambulance was waiting. He was then transferred to a Great North Air Ambulance Service helicopter and flown to Royal Victoria Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne.

A team spokesperson added: “Many thanks to the Coastguard helicopter which was also called due to the nature and seriousness of the incident in case of the need for a winch evacuation.”

The incident lasted almost three hours and involved 23 Keswick MRT members.