A FISHERMAN became the third person to be airlifted to hospital from a Moray beauty spot this month when he slipped and injured his head.

The man was winched 200 feet to safety by a Sea King helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth during the rescue operation yesterday afternoon near the well known as Randolph’s Leap, a beauty spot on the River Findhorn.

It is understood the man, who is in his 60s, had been fishing in the area when he slipped on some rocks.

His companion made a 999 call to the ambulance service and two crews attended the scene but were unable to get him away from the rocks.

Tim Dickinson, from the RAF Rescue Co-ordination Centre, said they were contacted at 1.30pm by Inverness ambulance control about a man who had fallen down the ravine.

He said, “There were two ambulance crews close to the scene but it was impossible to extract him from the position he was in.

“The RAF helicopter from Lossiemouth was called to assist.

“He was then winched to safety on to the aircraft using around 200ft of cable, which is extremely long.

“He was taken to Raigmore Hospital with head injuries.

He was conscious throughout the rescue but very shaken by the incident.

The rescue was the third in the area this month and the fourth this year.

On April 7, a 12-year-old boy broke his ankle after he slipped and fell on rocks.

Less than 48 hours later, a female kayaker was injured after capsizing on the River Findhorn, two miles down stream from Randolph’s Leap.

On both occasions the helicopter was used, the boy being taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, and the woman to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

In February another rescue operation involved a man being winched to safety after he was caught by a rising tide in the area.