A man out walking in a Chorley country park was the subject of a dramatic rescue operation during extreme weather conditions.

The sub-zero temperatures meant the rescue team place the stricken man in a body bag to keep him as warm as possible.

The man, who has not been named but was believed to be in his 50s, slipped in deep snow and fractured his ankle on a walk along the Yarrow Valley Country Park.

The incident, on Saturday afternoon, happened close to woodland and the river Yarrow in a remote part of the park between Chorley and Coppull.

The rescue came just hours after more than 8in of snow fell in the area.

Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue volunteers were called to the scene and placed him on a stretcher and cocooned him in a casualty bag to keep him warm.

Paul Durham, from the mountain rescue team, said: “Due to the conditions a precarious and improvised evacuation over the footbridge was necessary to reach the other side of the river.

“The man was then placed on a sledge and pulled to the waiting air ambulance before being flown to Blackburn hospital for treatment.”