A GREAT North Air Ambulance was stuck on top of England's highest mountain for two days, after fog and poor visibility forced the team to leave the helicopter on top of the peak following a quick change in conditions.

While attending a call-out on Scafell Pike, on Saturday, March 16 a dense cloud of fog surrounded our aircraft without warning- despite many checks by pilots the weather had changed in 'the blink of an eye'.

The team was still able to treat the patient we flew out to, and they accompanied them in the descent down the mountain alongside Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team and Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team, but pilot Mik stayed with the aircraft to wait until a break in the clouds appeared.

That break didn't come until Monday afternoon, March 18 meaning the helicopter was at the top of Scafell Pike for two days, as the weather conditions did not allow for us to take off safely.

Pilot Mik, who had stayed overnight with the plane, was safely accompanied down the mountain on Sunday.

In a statement GNAAS said: "We're unable to fly in these conditions because of poor visibility and the increased likelihood of icing, which we cannot fly in due to strict guidelines from the Civil Aviation Authority - the safety of our patients, crew, and equipment is paramount in these situations..

"We're delighted to say that The Pride of Cumbria II was brought back home safe and sound thanks to pilot Stu, who made the three-hour ascent on Monday morning.

"Our teams were still on call responding to incidents via our rapid response vehicles and second helicopter, ensuring people in need across Cumbria still had access to our expert doctor and critical care paramedics.

"Huge thanks to everyone who helped us get out of this pickle, including the mountain rescue teams, Cumbria Police and Multiflight. Sometimes, it's not what happens, it's how you respond to the situation that matters most."

Find out more about what happened here, and how you can support us in ensuring our critical care cars are 24/7: https://www.greatnorthairambulance.co.uk/.../helicopter.../