40ft deep sinkhole swallows farmer riding a quad bike

• The sinkhole opened up as he rode across a Bowesfield Farm field in Stank, Cumbria, the BBC reported.
• A multi-agency rescue crew used line equipment to bring the quad biker back to safety.
• The farmer was airlifted to hospital and was being treated for chest injuries.

A 40ft deep sinkhole swallowed a farmer riding a quad bike in Cumbria, England, according to the Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service.

The sinkhole opened up as the man, who is in his 60s, rode across a field at Bowesfield Farm in Stank, a village in south Cumbria.

Ian Westall of Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service told the BBC: "The ground just fell away with the weight of the bike on that particular spot and he was swallowed up into the sinkhole.

"We peered down and could see the farmer sat up, and we could just make out the outline of his bike under a mound of earth. I'm sure he was in deep shock."

Disused iron ore mines, dating back to the 19th Century, mean sinkholes are a frequent danger in the northwestern English region.

Firefighters from Barrow and Ulverston were called to the scene and used line rescue equipment to bring the quad biker back to safety.

They were also supported by Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team, Cumbria Police, Great North Air Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service and Cave Rescue in the rescue mission which began at 12pm on Thursday and lasted around three hours.

In a statement on Facebook, the Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service called the operation "an excellent multi-agency team effort."

The farmer was airlifted to hospital and is currently being treated for chest injuries, according to Sky News.