A sledge was used to rescue a walker from a snow-covered Cumbrian mountain after he slipped on ice.

There was a race against time to reach the 44-year-old man because of the threat of hypothermia.

Helvellyn and other high fells are in "winter condition" covered with snow and ice.

The rescue from Nethermost Pike - part of the Helvellyn range - has prompted a fresh reminder to walkers to have the correct equipment to head out on the fells.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted at 1.15pm yesterday to the incident after the man slipped on ice and suffered a serious lower leg injury that unable to bear any weight.

A spokesman said: "With Helvellyn and other high fells in winter condition, there was a severe risk of hypothermia, so the first vehicle was away within 15 minutes of the initial message.

"In the meantime, control contacted the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service, RAF Leeming MRT who were already on the hill training, and investigated the possibility of air support, but this was denied by the minimal visibility."

Instead, a second vehicle was sent to the far end of Thirlmere and the Keswick team approached the scene via the path up from Wythburn church whilst the RAF team made their way from Brown Cove.

Even with both teams travelling as fast as they could, it was still 50 minutes before the first rescuers were on scene.

The spokesman explained: "The casualty was given analgesia, and heat packs were used to warm him up.

"The teams then set off sledging and carrying the casualty down to Wythburn Church, to rendezvous with an NWAS ambulance."

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team has thanked RAF Leeming's mountain rescuers for their "timely assistance".

Twenty members of the Keswick team and seven from RAF Leeming spent more than four and a half hours on the rescue.