THE Jet Ranger 206, which lay at the bottom of Windermere for more than four days, was resurrected from its watery bed this week during a complicated operation, lasting seven hours.

The so-called "Rolls Royce of the Skies" slowly emerged from the lake on Tuesday afternoon into thick fog, under the watchful eye of lake wardens and an Environment Agency officer.

A team of experienced divers from New Tech Diving Services International, of Blackpool, were at the site early that morning to locate the chopper.

They attached rigging to it from a crane, which was secured on a barge on the surface.

An inflatable "bag" placed around the helicopter raised it off the lake bed and helped lift it to the surface.

Staveley-based Lakeland Marine Construction provided the crane and 12-metre long barge, which

transported the Jet Ranger to Waterhead.

Two lake warden patrol boats were present to tackle potential oil leaks, and a lake warden spokesman said anti-pollution materials were used on a small spillage of hydraulic oil.

However, this was contained in an inflated bag around the helicopter, and had not posed environmental damage to the water.

The lake wardens guided the barge and its crew through the fog to Waterhead where the helicopter was secured onto a waiting lorry.

The chopper - damaged, with a shattered windscreen and broken rotor blades - was then transported to its hanger in Chorley, where it was being kept for any necessary inspection.