A ROCK climber had to be airlifted to hospital after falling 50ft from a Northumberland crag.

The 48-year-old man was climbing Peel Crag, near Once Brewed on Hadrian’s Wall, when he fell.

It is believed that the climber fell after grabbing a piece of rock which then fell from the crag.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service was called to the scene at 6.09pm on Monday.

The man was treated for a chest injury at the scene before Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team and North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team helped to stretcher him to the helicopter.

He was then flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

This is the third incident in three months which the GNAAS has attended at the same crag after two rock climbers were airlifted to hospital in May.