Walker, 75, rescued 15 hours after Derbyshire cliff fall

A specialist rope system had to be used to access the scene and get the woman to safety

A 75-year-old woman has been rescued 15 hours after falling down a hill at a Derbyshire beauty spot.

The walker slipped from a path on High Tor in Matlock Bath at 10:00 BST on Monday and fell down a steep slope.

With injured legs and her cries for help going unanswered, the woman was not found until 18:30.

Rescue teams struggled to access the site, but she was finally carried to safety at 01:00 on Tuesday and is being treated in hospital.

When her cries were finally noticed, police initially responded, then called both the Derby and Buxton mountain rescue teams.

Six agencies were called to the scene to aid or advise in the rescue

Due to the difficult access to the site and length of time the woman had been stuck, the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service Hazardous area response team, and the Maritime and Coastguard agency were also called.

The ditch was close to a railway line and services through Matlock were cancelled.

David O'Sullivan, from Derby Mountain Rescue, said: "Considering she had fallen about 50 feet through trees and rocks, she was was relatively lucky, it could have been much worse.

"She had suspected fractures but was medically stable and in surprisingly high spirits. I'm not sure I would have been after being stuck all day.

"There was a lot of debate about how to get her out, with a helicopter being considered, but in the end she was lifted out by hand.

"It was difficult, dark and in a tight spot, but it's what we train for."