A PENSIONER was airlifted from a mountain and taken to hospital after becoming 'too unwell' to complete a walk in the Lake District.

A couple who were descending Sourmilk Gill just after 7:30pm yesterday evening, September 23 when they discovered a 71 year old man 'too unwell' to continue the descent.

Due to a steep descent the man was airlifted to Crow Park in Keswick and transferred to a land ambulance to be taken to Carlisle hospital. 

In a statement on social media, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team said: "A couple descending near the top of Sourmilk Gill found a 71 year old man who was too unwell to continue. The couple descended and phoned 999 from the public phone box in Seathwaite.

"The team deployed and on arrival in Seathwaite found the informants who had waited to direct them towards the casualty. The man who had been returning from a long walk with a friend was given a medical check over and some food and drink.

"With the prospect of a steep, difficult and dangerous stretcher descent a Coast Guard helicopter was requested. Team members supported the man for a short walk up the path to a flat area arriving just as Rescue 199 from Prestwick flew in.

"The man, accompanied by two team members, was flown to Crow Park in Keswick to rendezvous with the land ambulance for onward transfer to Carlisle hospital. Huge thanks to R199 for saving us a notoriously tricky descent.

"Thanks also to Whitehaven Coast Guard team who were deployed to secure the landing site at Crow Park."