A MOUNTAIN rescue boss has expressed his gratitude after a fundraiser for an injured colleague surpassed the £1m mark.

Chris Lewis’s accident stunned the Cumbrian community - and money has since poured in from all corners of the county and further afield.

Mr Lewis, of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team, suffered life-changing injuries after falling 150m while on a callout to two campers on Red Screes, between Patterdale and Ambleside.

A JustGiving page set up to support him in the wake of the accident has now hit an incredible £1m, including gift aid.

The money will be used to secure Mr Lewis the support he will require for the rest of his life.

And the chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association paid tribute to the ‘incredible’ fundraising that had taken place.

“I am extremely grateful for the level of support that has been given to Chris Lewis and his family following the tragic accident,” said Richard Warren.

“It’s fantastic that so much has been raised to support Chris, who will need significant funds to cover his costs over the forthcoming years as he struggles to recover from his injuries.

“The accident sent shockwaves throughout the mountain rescue community in Cumbria and throughout the rest of the county, and the region’s teams are so grateful to everybody, not just for the financial support, but for the comments and messages that came in to get Chris and his family through it all.”

Mr Lewis continues to receive professional care for his spinal injury, with years of recovery and rehabilitation ahead of him

He slipped on a rescue callout to two campers in February. The pair, who were from the Leicester and Liverpool areas and had flouted lockdown rules to head to the Lake District, requested assistance after one of them began experiencing chest pains and feared he was having a heart attack.

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