TWO climbers from the region were seriously injured after being swept 750ft by an avalanche in the Lake District.

The pair, from Redcar, were among a group of four who had been climbing St Sunday Crag, Patterdale, near Penrith, Cumbria, yesterday.

Two people, believed to be from County Durham, managed to avoid the cascading snow, but the others were caught up in it and flung down the hillside.

Rescuers were alerted at about 2pm by police who told them the most badly injured were buried in the remains of the avalanche, which is believed to have been triggered as they reached a point called Pinnacle Ridge.

As a result, a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer, in Northumberland, and two air ambulances were scrambled.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue team leader Martin Cotterell said last night: “The air ambulance lifted a doctor and one team member up the valley to a point where it could land near the scene.

“A short while later, five further team members were lifted by the Sea King and winched directly down to the casualty site.

“Two of the four climbers managed to escape the avalanche near the top.

“One of these climbers was unhurt and a second had escaped with relatively minor lower leg injuries. The other two casualties were swept about 750ft and sustained serious multiple injuries.”

When they reached the climbers, the two casualties were stabilised and then placed on stretchers.

“The RAF Sea King winched one of the seriously injured casualties from the scene and flew him direct to Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle, where it refuelled before returning to winch the second casualty and transfer him to the same hospital,” Mr Cotterell said.

The third climber, who suffered an injury to his lower leg, was located following a short search.

He was also taken to hospital in Carlisle.

The remaining climber was able to walk down the hillside and was taken to hospital for a check-up.

Following the incident, police urged people to avoid the Cumbrian fells.

A police spokeswoman said: “Police would urge people to postpone activities until the snow and icy conditions improve on high land due to the risk of unstable snow.’’ On January 31, farmer Alan Turner, from Winton, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, died in an accident on Great Gable, in the Lake District.

He was climbing with Andy Platell, an archaeologist from Durham University, when they got into difficulty. They are understood to have fallen more than 300ft from the mountainside.

Mr Platell, of Durham, suffered serious injuries.