Woman dead and family injured after 200ft fall
Saturday, 30 Aug 2008 11:50
Woman dead and husband and daughter injured in 200ft fall
A woman has died and her husband and six-year-old daughter have been seriously injured after a 200ft fall in the Lake District.
The family from Peterborough had been walking on the Sharp Edge ridge on Blencathra, near Keswick in Cumbria, when they were affected by "wet and slippy" conditions.
The woman, 38, did not survive the fall but her husband, 48, and daughter are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Cumbria police.
"Officers can confirm that the three people involved were a family from Peterborough," a spokeswoman said.
"Tragically the 38-year-old wife and mother has been pronounced dead.
"Police will not be releasing the identity of any of the family members at this stage."
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) sent rescue helicopters from RAF Bulmer and RAF Valley while civilian volunteers from Keswick Mountain Rescue were also involved.
"We believe they tumbled or fell about 200 feet," said an MoD spokesman.
"The second helicopter recovered the lady who had fallen and took her to hospital.
"The first helicopter was scrambled at about 2.45pm.
"It was wet and slippy. They were just below the cloud line around 2,000 feet up the mountain. It is quite steep there.
"Two other adults were taken down the mountain by Keswick Mountain Rescue team."