Man struck by falling rocks rescued from gill

A man struck by falling rocks was among a party of people rescued scrambling in a gill.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team was called to Ill Gill, near Kirk Fell, after a man suffered head and hand injuries and two others were stuck in precarious positions on Sunday at about 13:00 BST.

Richard Warren, Wasdale MRT Press Officer, said the scramble was "not one of the safest places" to climb, despite being "publicised in social media" and added it was not the first time the team had gone to the aid of injured people at the spot.

A coastguard helicopter winched three people out of the gill, which was a "particularly difficult location to extract a casualty on a stretcher", Warren said.

He said the man had been trying to avoid a section of water when rocks dislodged and fell on him.

After being transported to an ambulance, the casualty's condition deteriorated and he was flown to hospital.

"This is not one of the safest places to scramble even though it has been publicised in social media - it is not recommended for casual walkers," Warren said.

He also said the team was "extremely grateful" to have assistance from Duddon Mountain Rescue Team, the Coastguard rescue helicopter and crew based at Carlisle for extracting the casualty and winching the two others out of the gill.

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