A 23-year-old man from the North-East was in a critical condition with serious head injuries today after he was swept away by an avalanche.

He was among a party of four fell-walkers from the region thought to have triggered the incident on St Sunday Crag in Patterdale, Cumbria, at about 2.10pm yesterday.


A 19-strong team from Patterdale Mountain Rescue located the men safely, assisted by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer and two North West Air Ambulance crews.

The men, from County Durham and Cleveland, were all taken to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue team leader Martin Cotterell said: "We believe the party triggered the avalanche as they passed a point called Pinnacle Ridge. The two who were more seriously injured were swept away about 750ft.

"Some of the slopes in this area are currently unstable."

A Cumbria Police spokesman said a 23-year-old man from the Redcar area had suffered serious head injuries and was described by the hospital as in a critical condition.

A 21-year-old man, also from the Redcar area, is also in intensive care with multiple fractures. His condition is said to be serious but stable.

A 54-year-old man from the Durham area received treatment for an ankle injury, which is not thought to be serious.

The fourth member of the party, a man in his 50s from the Durham area, was apparently uninjured but received a check-up.

The police spokesman added: "Police would like to thank the mountain rescue team, the military search and rescue personnel and the air ambulance crews for their efforts in this operation.

"We again wish to stress to walkers our advice to avoid high land due to potentially treacherous conditions caused by snow and ice."

Do you know any of the injured walkers? Call our newsdesk on 01325-505068.