FOUR teenagers from Prestwich are to be rewarded for their part in the night-time rescue of an injured friend who had to be carried for an hour and a half from a Lake District hillside.

Sixteen-year-olds Nicholas Chapman, Paul Latham, and Becky Watson, and 15-year-old Karl Wallwork, are to be offically praised for their help in bringing the prone young woman to safety.

With just a small torch each to light the way, the quartet assisted two paramedics in negotiating the stretcher over rough terrain to a waiting ambulance.

The casualty, who had injured her back in a fall, was taken to hospital where she made a full recovery.

The four teenagers were part of a larger group of youngsters enjoying a residential course at YMCA Lakeside, in Newby Bridge, when the drama unfolded.

They were spending a long weekend with youth workers in the Lakes as part of a Get Connected programme organised by Youth Services.

At around 4pm the group set off on a hillside trek and set up camp for an overnight bivouac.

After cooking the evening meal themselves the youngsters enjoyed some team games and one member of the group fell from a tree.

Glenis Harrison, Prestwich area manager for youth services, said: "The whole focus of the course was around teamwork and these teenagers certainly demonstrated that. When the young woman injured herself we had to call an ambulance. It took the paramedics an hour to reach us because of our location, by which time it was dark.

"The young people sorted out a relay system and took turns to carry the injured person down the hillside. It was dark and over rough terrain, and they used torches to light the way. After she was safely in the ambulance, they had an hour's walk back to base camp."

Ms Harrison said she and the other youth workers were impressed with the four involved and proud of their enthusiasm to help.

She added: "I think they showed when push comes to shove they could all work together and support one another, and come up with the goods. A lot of people think that all young people are up to no good, causing trouble on streets corners, but in reality the vast majority don't."

The teenagers will be presented with an achievement certificate at Prestwich area board next Wednesday.