A CAVER had to be winched out of Gaping Gill after he was seriously injured in an incident at 11.38am on Monday..

The Cave Rescue Organisation said it was called out to reports of a caver suffering serious head and chest injuries in the main chamber of Gaping Gill.

The Clapham-based team said the man was brought to the surface by pot-hole club winch and was being sheltered in a nearby shake-hole before they arrived.

An air ambulance was able to land close to the casualty, before CRO team members had set off with a stretcher.

Potholers on site assisted the ambulance paramedics to carry him to the helicopter on a spinal board. CRO members returned to base and the casualty was flown to hospital.