BBC Radio Cumbria
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BREAKING A mountain rescuer has been left with "life-changing" injuries after falling 500ft while going to help a camper who had illegally travelled to Cumbria with his friend. A man from Leicester and a man from Liverpool have been fined £200 for breaching Covid-19 restrictions
Update -
A MOUNTAIN rescue volunteer has been left paralysed from his neck down after he suffered horrific injuries while trying to help two Covidiots.
Chris Lewis, 60, and other volunteers had been called out when two wild campers got into trouble in the Lake District.
The pair had travelled hundreds of miles in breach of lockdown restrictions and then called 999 in the middle of the night when one suffered chest pains.
But as retired engineer Chris and his colleagues from Patterdale Mountain Rescue headed to help the men he fell 500ft down a ravine near Kirkstone Pass.
He was rushed to hospital with multiple facial fractures and damage to his spinal cord.
He is still in intensive care nearly a fortnight later and is facing the prospect of the rest of his life in a wheelchair. All four limbs are paralysed but medics hope he may get some feeling back in his arms.
The men were fined £200 each – while locals in Cumbria have launched a fund to raise £500,000 to cover his future care costs.
Generous supporters have already donated £100,000.
His colleagues told of their delight at the outpouring of support for Chris who they described as a “fantastic guy”.
Richard Warren, chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, said: “The support has been overwhelming.”
Patterdale Team Leader Mike Rippon said Chris is likely to need 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
He added: "Chris was an extremely fit and healthy man with the rest of his life to look forward to.
"But the injuries he's suffered will change his life completely, he's likely to have full paralysis but may recover a bit of movement in his arms, that's probably the best we can hope for.
Full article -
Rescuer who fell 500ft helping Covidiot campers left wheelchair-bound
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14065293/mountain-rescuer-fell-helping-covidots-paralysed/#