A person was airlifted to hospital after a 'medical incident' at County Durham woodland - which saw the air ambulance arrive on the scene just 13 minutes after it was first called in. 

Emergency services descended on Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, at about 12.30pm on Friday (January 26), following reports of a medical incident in the wooded area.

After locating the patient, the Great North Air Ambulance was joined by the North East Ambulance Service at Hamsterley Forest.

Get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device, for just £3 for three months! Click here

Most read:

The Great North Air Ambulance has now confirmed that the patient was taken to the nearest major trauma unit by air.

A spokesperson for the air ambulance said: "Cumbrian aircrew responded to reports of a medical incident in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham, as our North East-based crew were already on scene elsewhere.

"In response, the crew flew to the scene within 13 minutes. Once there, our doctor-led team worked alongside North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and HART to assess and stabilise the patient before carefully transferring them into the aircraft, ready for a swift journey to the closest major trauma unit."