A MAN had to be airlifted to hospital after falling down a slope on the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail.

The Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation (CRO) were called out to the scene of the incident.

The man, 62, stepped off the path near Snow Falls, then slipped and fell about 12m down a steep wooded slope to the river's edge.

The incident happened at 6pm on Saturday.

CRO volunteers gave the man pain relief and put him into a vacuum mattress (full-body splint), then onto a Bell mountain rescue stretcher for hauling back up to the path.

He was further assessed by Yorkhsire Ambulance Service paramedics, then carried to the Beezleys Caravan Park and transferred to an air ambulance for the journey to hospital.

He is believed to have suffered a number of fractures in the fall.