A pair of walkers and their dog were taken off Levers Hawse by helicopter as Coniston and Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue asked for support in a nearly three hour call out.

As the cold and icy conditions continue to impact the county on January 18, Coniston Mountain Rescue were called to help a couple of walkers and their dog who had reached the peak of the Old Man of Coniston and proceeded north along the ridge when the man felt unable to walk further because of pain in his leg, stopping at Levers Hawse.

With the snow and icy conditions lingering from the arctic blast before despatching two Land Rovers, they had to be fitted with snow chains on all tyres.

This, and the very low temperatures on the tops, Coniston made the decision to ask for helicopter assistance.

The prospect of a potentially long and hazardous stretcher carry had the helicopter been unable to assist meant that the decision to requested support from colleagues at Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue.

Fortunately, HM Coastguard Rescue 199 from Prestwick was available and reached the casualty party well before the mountain rescue teams.

They elected to take both people and the dog off the hill, delivering the woman to John Ruskin School playing field in Coniston so that she could get her car, and the man to Carlisle hospital for assessment and treatment.

The incident lasted 2 hours and 43 minutes.