Helicopter called out to beauty spot

A casualty was airlifted to hospital with a serious leg injury following an incident at a snow-covered beauty spot.

Police, ambulance crews and the Folkestone coastguard search and rescue team were called to Wye Crown on Sunday evening.

Emergency response vehicles started to arrive at about 6.20pm, with the coastguard helicopter called shortly after.

The scene was lit up and the casualty was winched into the helicopter before being taken to the William Harvey Hospital.

A coastguard spokesman said: “At just before 6pm on Sunday evening, the HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter from Lydd was sent, at the request of the ambulance service, to assist at an incident in Wye.

“One casualty, requiring medical assistance, was located by the helicopter in an inaccessible area for vehicles and winched to safety before being transferred to hospital for onward care.”

An ambulance spokeswoman said: “We were called to Wye Crown at 4.45pm to reports of a person suffering a serious leg injury.

“Our hazardous area response team attended and requested the support of the coastguard helicopter which then airlifted the patient to William Harvey Hospital.”

The exact nature of the incident is not known.

There has been speculation it could have been a sledging accident at the popular spot, but this has not been confirmed.

Days before the incident, a skier filmed himself shooting down Wye Crown hill.

The coastguard helicopter at the scene in Wye on Sunday