Mountain rescuers are warning walkers to take more care on the fells after a team had one of its busiest weeks ever.

Volunteers with Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team have been scrambled to eight emergencies in nine days and are urging people to take care and watch out for the dark nights.

Mike Park, leader of Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team, said: "It's becoming busier and judging what the other teams are looking at that would be the same across the Lakes.

"I'd really like to get the safety message over that the nights are drawing in.

"It is getting dark and people seem to be surprised that it is getting dark earlier." 

One walker stepped over a fence to take a photograph and falling 165ft into a quarry. 

The 26-year-old man was on land surrounding Hill Top Quarry at Threlkeld when the ground below him gave way. 

He fell into the quarry below and hit his head on a rock on the way down. 

He managed to crawl to a point where he could get a phone signal and call for assistance.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team attended to him at around 10.45am on Friday, gave him painkillers and he was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. 

He was left with cuts, bruises and an injured ankle. 

The next incident Keswick was called out to was a 70-year-old man suffering from a racing heart on the Rosthwaite to Watendlath path, Borrowdale. 

He was airlifted to hospital by the Great North Air Ambulance. 

The team’s final call out was to a base jumper who had become snagged in a tree after leaping from Raven Crag. 

A woman looking out of her window near Thirlmere saw the jumper and raised the alarm. 

By the time the team arrived, he had managed to get down safely and was not injured. 

On Saturday afternoon, the Cockermouth rescue team were called out to help a 74-year-old man who had fallen and injured his head at Wind Gap, Pillar, Ennerdale.

He was being treated at the scene by a passing doctor.

The team loaded him onto a stretcher and took him to Windgap Cove. 

A Coastguard helicopter flew him from Caernarfon and flew him to hospital in Barrow.