The mountain biker is stretchered off Barrow. Photo: Keswick MRT

Volunteers from Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called out six times in five days to aid walkers and mountain bikers on the fells.

The team also turned out to conduct searches to no avail after members of the public reported hearing shouts for help.

On Monday a walker descending the western slopes of Helvellyn slipped and injured her ankle while making her way to the Swirls car park.

A team spokesperson said the 21-year-old was unable to bear weight and her group called 999. “The team attended and gave pain relief before stretchering the casualty down to the car park from where she was taken to hospital in the family car,” the spokesperson said.

The incident lasted almost two hours and involved 16 Keswick MRT members.

Later that evening a walker reported hearing shouts for help from Raven Crag on Grey Knotts. The team said ‘convincing cries of help’ were heard from Gillercomb Buttress.

“A solitary figure was seen stationary on the crag but it wasn’t possible to ascertain if it was related,” the spokesperson said. “With no mobile signal it was two hours before the informant could call 999 to report their experience.

“Team members approached the Raven Crag area of Grey Knotts from Honister to undertake a search of the area where the reported shouts were heard. There was no evidence of anyone on the crags. Nothing was seen or heard so the team returned to base.”

Six team volunteers were involved in the incident for just over 3½ hours.

On Wednesday the team was called out to Blencathra about 2.45pm to search for a boy who had separated from his family.

The spokesperson said: “Three generations of the same family were on a walk up Hall’s Fell. One of the younger generation, a 12-year-old boy, wandered ahead by himself. After some time of not seeing the boy and shouting to no effect the family called 999 and asked for help searching for the boy.”

One team member was dropped off at the family car’s location while others made their way to the bottom of Hall’s Fell. “On arrival at the base of the fell the young man was spotted low on Gategill Fell and the rest of the family could be seen descending Hall’s Fell,” the spokesperson said.

“The family were reunited and I’m sure a good ticking off was in order once we were out of earshot.”

Ten team volunteers were involved in the incident for just over 1¼ hours.

Shortly before 7pm that day, the team was called out again to aid a solo walker who got lost on the descent from Helvellyn.

He had climbed the mountain from Swirls then made his way down Striding Edge to Red Tarn, reascending to the summit via Swirral Edge.

The spokesperson said: “Unfortunately on top it was in cloud and he took off in the wrong direction following the footpath south.

“After some time walking in the rain and mist he realised he was lost and called 999. Initially the call went to the Patterdale team who passed it to Keswick.

“A PhoneFind put his position close to Dollywagon Pike so he was instructed to continue on and down to Grisedale Tarn then turn right. A small team was sent out to approach from Dunmail Raise. They met the man as he was descending Raise Beck.

“He was given food and drink then escorted down to the team vehicle and given a lift back to his car at Swirls car park.”

The injured walker is stretchered from the Browncove Crags area to Swirls car park. Photo: Keswick MRT

The incident lasted just over two hours and involved four team members.

On Thursday there was another report from a walker that they had heard ‘help me’ calls while descending Barrow towards Braithwaite.

The spokesperson said: “Due to the wind direction they believed the calls to be coming from the lower slopes of Grisedale Pike above hospital plantation, or the Coledale area.

“A small team was sent to investigate but after searching the area between Barrow and Stile End then along the Coledale track to Force Crag nothing untoward was seen or heard.”

It was, the spokesperson said, a false alarm with good intentions.

Five Keswick MRT volunteers took part in the operation, which lasted just over 1¾ hours.

The team was in action late on Friday when a mountain biker came off his bike on Barrow, breaking his lower leg.

“By himself, getting cold in the fresh breeze and in a lot of pain he managed to call 999 and ask for mountain rescue assistance,” the spokesperson said. “On arrival the team provided shelter, a casualty bag and chemical heat blanket. Team medics meantime administered strong analgesia before splinting the leg.”

When a full complement of team members had arrived, the man was stretchered off the fells to a waiting ambulance and a doctor from the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

The spokesperson said: “Many thanks to the local fellrunning couple who assisted.”

The rescue took just over 2¼ hours and involved 17 team members.