Two climbers 'lucky' to survive Lake District avalanche

Police have urged people not walk in the fells until conditions improve on high land

Rescuers said two men were "very lucky" to survive after an avalanche swept them 750ft (228m) down a fell.

The pair, who are in their 20s and from Redcar, Teesside, were airlifted to hospital after being found by Lake District search teams on Monday.

One man is said to be be in a critical condition with head injuries. The other is described as "comfortable".

Two other men were also hurt in the avalanche at Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag near Patterdale.

Cumbria Police and mountain rescue teams have warned people to stay away from the area because of unstable snow.

Police said recent heavy snow falls combined with fluctuating temperatures had left many areas unsafe.

Rescuers said the men are believed to have started the avalanche as they passed the ridge.

Martin Cotterell, leader of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team, said: "All four of them got hit by the avalanche.

"Two of them managed to escape it fairly high up but the other two got swept about 750ft right down the hill.

"They were pretty poorly when we got to them, they were lucky to be alive at that stage.

"They were separated by about 30 yards and there was lots of blood in the snow."

A total of 19 mountain rescue volunteers were involved in the incident, along with an RAF helicopter, air ambulance and police.

Police said a 23-year-old man from Redcar was in intensive care at Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, suffering from serious head injuries and described him as being in a "critical condition."

A 21-year-old man from Redcar was also in intensive care at the hospital with multiple injuries, including fractures.

The third man, aged 54 and from the Durham area, suffered an ankle injury and the fourth, in his 50s and from Merseyside, was uninjured

A Cumbria Police spokesman said: "We 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."