Last updated at 19:32, Wednesday, 03 March 2010

A climber had a lucky escape this afternoon after an avalanche swept 1,000 feet down a Lake District gully.

A solo climber was spotted by walkers in Window Gully, Great End, Borrowdale, at around 2pm, shortly before an avalanche swept through the area.

Mountain rescue teams from Keswick, Cockermouth and Wasdale were called to the scene, along with police, an air ambulance and a helicopter from RAF Kinross.

However, they found the climber uninjured close to the scene of the avalanche at about 4pm. He was taken down the fells by helicopter and left the scene.

The incident comes just over two weeks after two walkers were swept 750ft from St Sunday Crag above Patterdale, and led to fresh warnings to be careful on the fells.

Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team leader Mike Park said: “We are not telling anybody not to go into the hills, but be aware there’s still snow. there’s still unsettled conditions, and there’s the potential for avalanches to happen.

“You need to know your abilities, be prepared with the right equipment and knowledge and be cautious.”

First published at 19:27, Wednesday, 03 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk