Updated: A CANOEIST from York was last night fighting for her life after she capsized in a Cumbrian river.

The woman, in her thirties, had got into difficulties while on an expedition as part of a York group canoeing in Hobdale Beck, off the River Rawthey, near Sedbergh.

Paramedics said she had fallen into the river shortly after 2pm on New Year’s Day where she became trapped under water.

The other members of the group helped free her and drag her to the side, where Cumbria Police, ambulance and mountain rescue teams worked together to pull her from the water.

The woman, who has not yet been named, was taken to Royal Preston Hospital by air ambulance where she remained in a critical condition in intensive care last night, paramedics said.

Paramedic Andy Preston, who was part of the air ambulance crew at the scene, told The Press yesterday: “The group were from the York area and one of the female members had got into difficulties.

“She had capsized and was trapped under the water for a period of time.

“The fellow members of the group who were all experienced canoeists had managed to rescue her and brought her to the side. However where the bank was, a very steep part of the river, was unfortunately a very difficult place to manoeuvre.

“It was a very steep bank, but we managed to get to her and administer some treatment to stabilise her condition by the side of the river.

“We then transported her by air ambulance to hospital to Preston where she remains in intensive care.

“We do not know how long she was trapped underwater for.”

He praised the members of the canoeing group for assisting in the rescue. He said they were all “extremely upset” by the incident.

A Cumbria Police spokesperson said: “She is in a critical condition. All the other canoeists are accounted for and safe and well. The woman’s family has been informed.”

A spokesman from Cumbria Airbase added: “The Great North Air Ambulance was called to assist the North West Ambulance Service with an incident at Cautley near Sedbergh in Cumbria.

“A canoeist had got into difficulty and had been rescued by her fellow canoeists.

“She was extricated from the scene by the fire service, the ambulance service and the air ambulance paramedics and then flown to Preston Royal Infirmary.”