Avalanche in the Lake District's Borrowdale valley (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Avalanche in the Lake District's Borrowdale valley

2:43pm Saturday 16th January 2010 in

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THE Lake District’s new fell top assessor’s prediction that an avalanche was imminent on the fells has come true.

As warmer wet weather entered Cumbria on Friday, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called to assist three climbers struck by an avalanche in Hind Crag Gully, Seathwaite, Borrowdale valley.

Jason Taylor, the Lake District’s fell top assessor, recently warned of the risk of avalanches on the fells.

No one were injured but one climber, a 36-year-old man, was sent tumbling 240 metres down the gully and had to use an ice axe to cut himself out of the snow.

The three men were just completing the gully climb in the middle of the crag when the lead climbers triggered a wet slab avalanche.

One of the men made his way to a footpath and was found by members of Keswick Mountain Rescue arriving on scene.