A YORK man was airlifted to hospital in a dramatic rescue operation in the Lake District.

Marathon runner Dave Scoreby, 43, collapsed in atrocious weather conditions while on a midsummer charity expedition to the Lakeland fells.

Fellow members of the Everest Challenge 2000 team noticed he was beginning to shiver and stagger as gale-force winds and rain hit the second day of a three-day trek in Cumbria.

Recognising he had hypothermia, they used a mobile phone to call out the Wasdale Mountain Rescue team to help the father-of-three, of Usher Park Road, Haxby.

As he lost consciousness his friends put Mr Scoreby into a warming "space blanket" and huddled around him to pass on their body heat.

They were able to give precise map references to help rescuers as a Sea King helicopter was scrambled from RAF Valley in Anglesey to airlift Mr Scoreby to hospital in Whitehaven.

The helicopter landed as near as possible to where the stricken walker lay.

Rescuers then gave him oxygen, and his colleagues packed into a tent around him to help speed the warming process, but it was three hours before it was judged safe to move him from the mountains.

About 20 members of the Fell Rescue Unit were involved in the drama yesterday at Piers Gill, near Scafell Pike.

Julian Carradice, leader of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, said today: "Heavy rain and strong winds made conditions extremely unpleasant in the area, but we managed to get to Mr Scoreby early enough and were pleased with the result."

Mr Scoreby, who works at Nestle Rowntree, was later released from hospital and was today on his way back to York after contacting his family to let them know that he was safe and well.

Wayne Brannan, co-organiser of the expedition to raise money for York Diabetic Trust, said today: "The rescue team were absolutely brilliant and we can't thank them enough."

The rest of the team was today continuing the Lakeland challenge in better weather conditions.