Rescuers approach the stranded sheep. Photo: Patterdale MRT

Volunteers from a Lake District rescue team retrieved a group of sheep that had been marooned on a crag in hot weather without water for at least a week.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team responded to a request from a farmer to go to the aid of eight of his animals that had become stuck on a rocky ledge at Cat Crag, overlooking Angle Tarn.

A Patterdale MRT spokesperson said three team members made their way up to the crag with climbing gear and successfully brought all eight woolly casualties safely from their ledge.

The spokesperson said: “All eight sheep would like to thank the team for freeing them from their tricky situation.”

The team was in action on Sunday when a paraglider crashed below Wolf Crags on the Old Coach Road overlooking Threlkeld.

Rescuers with the air ambulance, which landed on the Old Coach Road. Photo: Patterdale MRT

A callout initially went to Keswick MRT, who had a member at the scene and requested the help of an air ambulance because of the serious nature of the pilot’s badly broken ankle. Keswick team members set off for the site but the incident was passed to colleagues from the Patterdale team.

The Patterdale MRT spokesperson said: “At the time of the call the team were at Aira Force finishing a separate mountain rescue incident.

“A team of five members in a team Land Rover quickly responded and also requested an air ambulance due to the nature of the initial report. The team arrived at scene around the same time as the Great North Air Ambulance.

“The casualty was a paragliding student under tuition and had landed badly while coming down. The casualty was treated at the scene for an ankle injury. He was then transferred to the air ambulance for onward travel to hospital.”

Ten Patterdale MRT volunteers were involved in the incident.

The spokesperson added: “The team would like to thank the Great North Air Ambulance for their quick joint response.”