Walker, 70, airlifted to hospital after falling at Shropshire beauty spot

Police, firefighters, two ambulances and an air ambulance were scrambled to Brook Farm in Little Stretton at 10.50am on Tuesday.

The area was so difficult to reach that West Midlands Ambulance Service sent a hazardous area response team and Shropshire Fire & Rescue rushed a Pinzgauer all-terrain utility vehicle to reach the injured pensioner. The crews were understood to be there for some time before managing to rescue the man.

A spokesman for Church Stretton Fire Station said: "We were called to a 70-year-old male who had slipped on some wet rocks and fractured his ankle. We have successfully carried him down with the use of our new scoop stretcher and our xtract stretcher.

"Thanks to our colleagues from West Midlands Ambulance and air ambulance.

"We also had the police and national trust in attendance to assist where we needed. "

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 10.50am to a medical incident at Brook Farm in Little Stretton, Church Stretton.

"Two ambulances, a paramedic officer, the Trust’s Hazardous Area Response Team and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford were sent to the scene where, on arrival, crews found one male patient. He was treated by ambulance staff for potentially serious injuries before being airlifted to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for further treatment."

The ambulance service asked the fire service for assistance at about 11.21am and they sent two crews from Church Stretton Fire Station to the scene.

The crews were understood to still be at the scene at 1.15pm but they have made contact with the casualty.

A spokesman for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "At 11.21 on Tuesday, fire control received a call reporting an incident classified as SSC Non Urgent in Church Stretton.

"Two fire appliances including the Pinzgauer were mobilised from Church Stretton," adding that they had received a request from the ambulance service to assist.

Police officers from the safer neighbourhood teams covering both Bishop's Castle and Church Stretton were also sent to the scene with an air ambulance and officials from the National Trust.

A spokesman for South Shropshire SNTs tweeted that they were at a "live rescue of a fallen walker. Air ambulance also in attendance".

They added that it was the second rescue this month.

The fire service received a stop message at 1.15pm.