The rescue scene on Blencathra. Photo: Keswick MRT

Rescuers have praised the skills of a helicopter crew which plucked an injured teenager from difficult terrain on a Lake District mountain.

The teenage daughter had become separated from her family of four on Blencathra on Saturday.

She subsequently injured her knee and suffered a cut to her head in a tumble.

The group called police, who alerted Keswick Mountain Rescue Team about 8.25pm. As team volunteers assembled, a second report was received after the teen contacted her parents by WhatsApp and supplied a What3words-based location, putting her between Hall’s Fell and Doddick Fell.

A team spokesperson said: “Knowing the terrain to be particularly difficult the team requested the support of a Coastguard helicopter which tasked from Prestwick.

“The team responded with one small group heading along Hall’s Fell Ridge in case the location was inaccurate, but also to offer support from above if any rigging or rope work was needed. The remaining team members made their way up the bed of Doddick Gill, negotiating steep heather and scree and carrying the kit for what could potentially be a very tricky rescue.”

The Coastguard crew spotted the injured walker in the powerful beam of its searchlight and directed rescue team members to her location.

“Because of the treacherous nature of the terrain the team asked whether the aircrew were able to winch the casualty rather than have to perform a very dangerous stretcher evacuation,” the spokesperson said.

“With some remarkable flying skills the crew positioned their aircraft above the casualty site, lowered their winchman and lifted the casualty into the aircraft which then flew to Crow Park landing site in Keswick to be re-united with her family.”

The incident lasted almost 3¾ hours, ending about midnight, and involved 15 Keswick MRT volunteers.

The team had earlier been alerted to walker with an injured ankle on the Stake Pass in Langstrath.

The spokesperson said: “As there is no mobile signal in this area a friend of the walker made their way down to the Langstrath Inn to alert the emergency services.”

As team members made their way to the site, they received a further report that the walker had managed to make their own way off the fellside.

The incident lasted an hour and involved 11 team members.

The scene of the incident on the Old Coach Road. Photo: Keswick MRT

On Sunday, Keswick MRT was again called out, when a woman cycle-touring through the Lake District fell from her bike on a rough section of the Old Coach Road track below Clough Head.

The spokesperson said: “She fell hard onto her knee which received several cuts.

“Unable to continue she dialled 999 and requested mountain rescue help. The team were dispatched and they were able to drive the Land Rover all the way to the where the woman had fallen.

“The team dressed her wounds and gave her some pain relief, while her bike was also carefully looked after. The team then transported the woman down the hill and on to Keswick hospital.”

Twelve rescue volunteers were involved in the incident, which lasted almost 1¾ hours.