A MAN winched to safety from a dangerous peak has his brother to thank for saving his life.

Ian Crawford, 18, fell about 200ft on Helvellyn, in the Lake District, which only last month claimed the life of Middlesbrough man Hugh Fox, 53.

The teenager's fall was halted when he struck a boulder.

His brother, Marc, scrambled down the steep slope after him, treated a bleeding head wound and then took off his coat, jumper and tracksuit top to keep his brother warm.

Marc, who lives in Middlesbrough, used his mobile phone to alert the mountain rescue team.

"I only remember thinking I've got to get down to him," said Marc, 25.

"It all happened in a flash. I can't remember getting down. I don't know how I did it but I'm glad I did.''

The pair were airlifted off the side of the mountain, but not before their rescuers told Marc he had saved his brother's life by stopping the bleeding and protecting him against hypothermia.

The drama happened on April 26, but details have only now been made public.

Ian, who lives with parents, Ron and Pam, on Stockton's Hardwick estate, said: "I can hardly remember anything about what happened.''