A water-skier had to flown to hospital after a high-speed accident on Windermere during an official race.

The 20-year-old man was being towed by a speedboat travelling at around 70 miles an hour when the accident happened on Saturday afternoon.

The skier was injured after hitting the water hard and suffered suspected injuries to his back and neck.

The North West Air Ambulance was scrambled from its base in Blackpool and landed on a hotel lawn on the edge of the lake. Lancashire Ambulance were already in attendance at the race and the patient, from Essex, was taken from the water by boat to the waiting ambulance then into the emergency helicopter.

He was flown to Furness General Hospital for treatment.