Yorkshire Three Peaks walker dies near hill summit

A walker attempting the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge has died near the summit of Pen-y-ghent.

The Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) said its members were called on Saturday morning to reports a 50-year-old man had collapsed.

Rescuers and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance were sent, but the man, who had been given CPR by an off-duty paramedic, was pronounced dead at the scene, the CRO said.

He was the second person within a week to have died while walking the route of the Three Peaks Challenge.

On Saturday 8 June, a man in his 50s died near the summit of Whernside, the highest mountain on the challenge route, after suffering a medical episode.

A CRO spokesperson said of the latest incident that its members were called out at about 08:25 BST on Saturday to reports a man had collapsed.

"Team members approaching the summit turned round and returned to Dale Head when it was learned that air ambulance paramedics had confirmed he had died and would fly the deceased off the hill," they added.

"Other members assisted with landing the aircraft and carrying him to a waiting road ambulance."

The CRO spokesperson said that its members' thoughts were with the walker's companions and family.

North Yorkshire Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious and officers were assisting in preparing a report for the coroner.

The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge includes Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Whernside rises to 2,415ft (736m) and Ingleborough reaches 2,372ft (723m), while Pen-y-ghent is 2,277 (694m) high at its peak.

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