A FATHER was helping rescue a drowning woman at almost the same moment his son was engulfed by an avalanche in the Lake District, it has been revealed.

Police last night named 21-year-old North-East climber Stuart Nelson as one of the victims of the avalanche on Monday evening.

The extreme sports enthusiast from New Marske, east Cleveland, is seriously ill in hospital along with fellow climber Caed Parker, 22, from nearby Redcar.

The friends were among a group of four who were hurt while tackling St Sunday Crag, above Patterdale, in Cumbria.

Mr Nelson and his father, Derek, are both volunteers for Redcar RNLI.

Last night, it emerged Derek Nelson was taking part in a sea rescue off Redcar as his son was struck by the avalanche.

Dave Cocks, of Redcar RNLI, said: “He didn’t find out until later that his son was involved in a climbing accident.”

Mr Cocks added: “Stuart is a very enthusiastic and capable climber. He had gone away for the weekend, which he does a lot.

“He loves all those kind of adventure sports.

“He has a lot of broken bones and has a long recovery ahead of him, but we all wish him well.”

Mr Nelson is in a comfortable condition and Mr Parker is critical but stable, after suffering head injuries. Both men were taken to the intensive care unit at Cumberland Infirmary, in Carlisle, suffering from multiple injuries.

Two other men were in the party at the time of the accident, but managed to roll out of the path of the avalanche.

A 54-year-old man from the Durham area suffered an ankle injury while a man in his 50s, from Merseyside, was unscathed.

It is believed Mr Nelson and Mr Parker may have triggered the avalanche as they crossed a point called Pinnacle Ridge.

They were swept 750ft down the hillside by the force of the snow.

A rescue operation was launched, with 19 members of the Patterdale Mountain Rescue team mobilised, along with a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer, in Northumberland, and two air ambulances.

Mr Nelson and Mr Parker’s families last night released a statement, saying: “The families of Stuart and Caed would like to thank Patterdale Mountain Rescue, the North West Air Ambulance, Rescue 131 RAF Boulmer, Cumbria Police, North West Ambulance Service and all else involved in saving both of them, and the outstanding treatment and support from staff at the 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.”

Alan Hinks, chairman of the North-East branch of the British Mountaineering Club, said: “It is a popular route with climbers. There will be people up there every day.

“They will have been experienced climbers to get up there and probably had equipment with them.

“They will have been having a fantastic time up there at this time of the year.

“It’s unfortunate that they have got caught up in an avalanche.”