RESCUERS went to the aid of a mountain biker who fell on the bridleway above Skipton's Shortbank Road on Sunday.

The 28-year-old man suffered suspected back injuries and was treated at the scene by paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Members of the Grassington-based Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association then carried him in a Bell stretcher to a road ambulance.

"Fortunately, the casualty had been wearing a helmet which was a write-off after the impact," said a team spokesman.

The alarm was raised just after 1.40pm and, just as the rescue team returned to base, a further call was received to help another mountain biker at Norwood Edge near Otley.

This time, the casualty was a 46-year-old biker, who had sustained a broken collar bone and, after being treated by ambulance service paramedics, was transferred to an air ambulance by UWFRA volunteers and members of the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team.