A BURNLEY woman was airlifted to hospital after breaking a leg in a fall while out walking in the Lake District.

Heather Sharples, 30, was walking with her boyfriend Paul on Scafell Pike last Sunday when she stumbled and sustained the compound fracture.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue team was paged by Workington police and attended the scene on the path between Brown Tongue and Lingmel Col.

Ms Sharples, a lab technician at Burnley College, was airlifted to Whitehaven Hospital by a Royal Navy helicopter from RN Gannet based at Prestwick Airport.

A spokesman for Wasdale Mountain Rescue team said: "The team were paged by Workington police to respond to a 999 call for a 30-year-old female walker who had stumbled and fractured her ankle on the path between Brown Tongue and Lingmel Col.

"She was with her boyfriend who had raised the alarm.

"The team leader was already on the fell and was able to make his way across the fell to the casualty site.

"The injured walker was lying on the path in the boulder field area and had sustained a very painful lower leg fracture."

Principal of Burnley College John Smith said: "We were all very concerned when we heard of the trauma which Heather has suffered.

"She is a terrific member of our staff who provides great support for our sixth form students both on our 'A' level Biology courses and on our residential and outdoor education trips.

"She is very experienced in outdoor activities and clearly this was an unfortunate accident.

"We wish Heather a speedy recovery and look forward to having her back with us as soon as possible."