Hiker reunited with doctor after mountain fall

A hiker and the doctor who came to her aid, after she fell on England's tallest mountain, have been reunited.

Maths teacher Lyn Maddostri, 68, from Derbyshire, was out walking on 20 May when she slipped and fell on a craggy part of the 978-metre Scafell Pike.

Fortunately she was passed by Dr William Crane, a GP from Bristol, who was able to help her until she was reached by an air ambulance.

Recovering from the accident, Ms Maddostri set out to find the doctor she knew only as Will - and the pair were finally reunited by BBC Radio Bristol on Thursday.

Dr Crane came across an injured Ms Maddostri while on his way back down the mountain

Ms Maddostri said she "couldn't have been luckier" than being passed by Dr Crane and friend Martin, a scout leader, after the fall, which left her with a broken leg.

An experienced walker, Ms Maddostri was walking with her partner and another couple celebrating her birthday when she slipped on her way back down the Lake District mountain.

"I chose a place, inadvertently, where I did a couple of forward rolls on some very, very spiky rocks and ended up in a very awkward place," she told BBC Radio Bristol.

Two different helicopters were eventually deployed to the site of incident

Bleeding heavily, unable to see properly after hitting her head and with no phone signal to call for help, Ms Maddostri was left in a precarious position away from the main route.

Thankfully she was soon spotted by Dr Crane, also on his way back down from the summit.

"We came across Lyn and her partner trying to scramble up the side of the mountain, being helped by another couple, but she was obviously distressed so we stayed with her.

"The air ambulance had already been called, someone had run off to do that, and we just stayed with her and did the doctorly thing, warmed her up and helped dress some wounds."

The pair sat with her for "at least an hour" until the rescue helicopter to come, and then for a while longer after it was forced to turn back after being unable to land.

An air ambulance doctor was eventually able to reach the scene and administer pain relief, while the coastguard helicopter was requested to help.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were also deployed to the scene of the incident

Ms Maddostri was then winched from the gully she had fallen into and taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for treatment.

During her recovery she realised she had not taken Dr Crane's details in order to thank him - knowing only his first name and that he worked in Bristol - which is where BBC Radio Bristol came in.

After tracking Dr Crane down, the BBC Radio Bristol team were able to reunite the pair live on air so Ms Maddostri was able to say thanks in person.

"People were so kind," she said, describing how people climbing the mountain had offered all sorts of things to help while they were awaiting the air ambulance.

"It was amazing luck. I couldn't have been luckier, I really couldn't."