MOUNTAIN TO BE RESTORED TO PEAK OF PERFECTION

England's highest mountain is to be repaired by stone delivered by helicopter, the National Trust has announced.

High visitor numbers and extreme weather are speeding up erosion on Scafell Pike in Cumbria, in north wes England, which is scaled by 250,000 people every year.

Helicopters will deposit 230 bags of stone on to the 3,209-foot high mountain for five National Trust volunteers to carry out the repairs.

To repair a stretch of path, an excavator will be airlifted on to the mountain in pieces and reassembled. When complete, the National Trust will urge visitors to prevent further erosion by wearing correct footwear and sticking to the paths, even if that means walking through puddles.

Liam Prior, an area ranger, said: “Scafell Pike is home to a unique ecosystem of rare upland plants and soils that are particularly thin and fragile. Damage from even one stray footprint can take centuries to recover.”

Joanne Backshall, project manager for Fix the Fells, said: “Although the mountains will be here forever, they need care. Human-related erosion is spiralling out of control and having a devastating effect on wildlife and habitats. The work will protect the mountain, its habitats and world-renowned landscape, so people can continue to enjoy it and the natural beauty of the Lakes for years to come.”