Rescuers and the Coastguard helicopter at the scene in the gully on Kirk Fell. Photo: Cockermouth MRT

A woman was airlifted to hospital after suffering multiple injuries in a fall on a Lake District mountain.

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team was alerted to the incident on Kirk Fell about 6.25pm on Friday.

Team members were about to start a monthly training session near Mellbreak when the call for help was received. They diverted to Ennerdale and made their way to Black Sail Youth Hostel.

A team spokesperson said: “Due to the location of the casualty, the conditions and the likely injuries the team requested assistance from Wasdale MRT and a Coastguard helicopter.

“The team parked at the youth hostel and made their way up the fell, where the casualty was located at approximately 8pm, high in a gully on Kirkfell Crags. She had sustained a substantial tumbling fall and had multiple, potentially serious injuries.”

Rescuers treated the woman’s injuries and immobilised her on a stretcher before the helicopter crew winched her directly from the gully.

Cockermouth and Wasdale MRT members then escorted the remaining members of her group off the hill to safety.

Team leader Andrew McNeil said: “This was a serious callout, in a dangerous location with potentially significant injuries.

“The loose, steep nature of the gully meant we could not work safely with more than half a dozen team members.

“R199 [the Prestwick Coastguard helicopter] demonstrated some excellent flying in what was extremely poor weather to extract the casualty in the safest way possible, minimising risk to all concerned. Without their support, we would have been looking at a strenuous and technical stretcher evacuation.

“Thanks also to Wasdale MRT who provided back up.”

The Cockermouth team wished the injured woman a speedy recovery.

The six-hour incident involved 17 Cockermouth MRT volunteers and 16 from the Wasdale team, along with the Prestwick Coastguard helicopter crew. It was the Cockermouth team’s 32nd callout of the year.