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Injured man rescued in rain from Scafell Pike

Wasdale MRT People in red coats have set up a yellow tent in the dark in heavy rainWasdale MRT
Mountain rescuers set up a shelter for the man to assess his injuries close to the summit of Scafell Pike

Rescuers battled "miserable" weather conditions to help a man who had fallen close to the summit of England's highest mountain.

The operation to retrieve the injured man from Scafell Pike in the Lake District took more than nine hours, Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team said.

The man had injured his hip after slipping on scree, the team said.

He was transferred to hospital for further assessment with rescuers wishing him a "speedy recovery".

A spokesman for the rescue team said they were called shortly before 18:00 BST on 23 August, with 15 volunteers from both the Wasdale and Duddon and Furness teams responding.

Wasdale MRT Rescuers in red coats carry a shelter down a steep slope in the dark and rainWasdale MRT
The man was carried by stretcher for almost four hours

They walked up the mountain, which stands 3,209 ft (978m) above sea level, in "rapidly deteriorating conditions" and reached the casualty after a few hours.

They made a bivvy shelter for the man, who was with a friend and dog, to assess his injuries before carrying him down on a stretcher.

"A long and arduous carry then commenced, with no prospect of air support in pretty miserable conditions," the spokesman said, adding: "Initially this was on steep scree, with slow progress made on wet and unstable ground.

"Once on the grass a mixture of carrying, sledging and the wheel were used with and without rope protection, according to conditions."

Wasdale MRT People in red coats with head torches walk through the dark and rainWasdale MRT
Fifteen volunteers took part in the nine-and-a-half hour rescue in "miserable" conditions

After nearly four hours they reached Brackenclose where a land ambulance was waiting for the injured man.

"We wish the walker well on his recovery and hope to see him back on the fells soon," the spokesman said.

It was the Wasdale team's 127th call out of the year.

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