The sheep was stuck in a ravine above Greenside, Glenridding. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

An adventurous sheep trapped in a Lakeland ravine provided some useful practice for rescuers.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was asked by a farmer on Sunday to help extricate the animal from its position next to the beck at Greenside.

The sheep was stuck in the steep-sided gill.

A team spokesperson said: “A deputy team leader who lives locally went and assessed the location and decided it required a full rope rescue to get to the sheep.

“Fifteen team members who were attending the Sunday practice then went and carried out a technical rope rescue to the sheep. It was successfully caught and helped back out onto the safety of the fell from where it had scrambled down into the precarious position it was located.

“The sheep was grateful for the assistance and rushed off to eat grass, not even hanging around for any photo opportunities.

“This was a good practice session for the team. We are always happy to assist the local farmers with such situations as a thank you for using their land for practices and driving tracks and farmland to get to rescues.”

The previous day, team members were in action at Aira Force where a 32-year-old woman fell while walking around the waterfalls.

The spokesperson said: “The report given was she had heard a loud snap when falling.

“The team responded, located the casualty, and the team doctor assessed the injury. She had sustained a suspected fractured ankle and was in considerable pain, therefore she was given pain relief and packaged in a leg splint and stretchered from the scene to a team Land Rover and then transferred to an ambulance.

“She was then conveyed to hospital for further treatment.”

The three-hour rescue involved 16 Patterdale MRT volunteers.