MOUNTAIN rescuers are getting closer to their £1million target to help an injured colleague.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team is trying to raise funds in support of volunteer Chris Lewis, who has suffered life-changing injuries after falling 150 metres during a rescue on February 6.

Members of the community have been encouraged to help raise funds through raffling, auctioning and sponsorships.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue said: "Thank you to everyone for the ongoing support for Chris Lewis, for Patterdale MRT and for mountain rescue across the country."

On the dedicated JustGiving Chris Lewis Support Fund, £832,000 has been raised so far.

Local Cumbrian craftswoman Jacqueline Duffield has set up a raffle for a bespoke wooden box to help raise funds for Patterdale Mountain Rescue and Chris Lewis.

Ms Duffield said: “When I was making the box, I heard about the accident. It just got me thinking about how quickly things can change.

“It’s not just him, it’s his family and I just thought the whole situation was so tragic. By the time I was making the box lid and shaping the fells, my thoughts just went around in a circle and came back to Chris.”

So far, Ms Duffield has sold 160 raffle tickets, equating to £800, and she hopes to donate 80 per cent of the proceeds to the Chris Lewis Support Fund and 20 percent to Patterdale Mountain Rescue.

“I have set a target of raising £1,000 pounds, but obviously I just hope it goes crazy so we can raise as much as possible.

“This incident was completely avoidable and its sparked a lot of anger.

"I think it's anger that has prompted a lot of people to take action and obviously because its such a worthy cause.”

The winner of the raffle will be drawn on March 28 at 6pm.

To donate to the Chris Lewis Support Fund, visit the JustGiving page or find inspiration for raising money on their Facebook.