A CLIMBER who survived being swept 750ft in an avalanche in the Lake District has spoken of his desire to get back into the mountains.

Extreme sports enthusiast Stuart Nelson, 21, of New Marske, east Cleveland, suffered broken bones and facial injuries after becoming caught up in the torrent of snow on February 22.

Mr Nelson faces a long road to recovery. However, he is desperate to get back climbing and has been enjoying a view of the Lake District from his hospital bed at the Cumberland Infirmary, in Carlisle.

He was transferred to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, yesterday, for facial surgery.

Dave Cocks, of Redcar RNLI, where Mr Nelson is a volunteer, said he is improving all the time.

“He rang me from his hospital bed and was talking okay, but he is still in a lot of discomfort,” he said. “He has a significant number of broken bones and needs specialist facial surgery.

“He has got some lower back injuries that will prevent him from walking for about six weeks.

“He can see the mountains of the Lake District from his hospital bed and he has told me he can’t wait to get back out there.”

His fellow climber, Caed Parker, 22, of Redcar, east Cleveland, suffered serious head injuries in the same incident.

The friends were airlifted to the intensive care unit at Cumberland Infirmary.

They were among a group of four who were hurt while tackling St Sunday Craig, above Patterdale, in Cumbria.

A 54-year-old man from the Durham area suffered an ankle injury, while a man in his 50s, from Merseyside, was unscathed.

It is believe Mr Nelson and Mr Parker may have triggered the avalanche as they crossed a point called Pinnacle Ridge.

A major rescue operation was launched after they were caught in the avalanche.

Mr Cocks said: “Stuart has very little recollection of the incident.

He remembers the first few seconds, but that’s about it.

“He is making progress, but he still has a long way to go.”

It is understood Mr Parker is also improving slowly.