Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team's boat

A hoax caller near Manchester used a new 999 phone texting system that led to the mobilisation of a Lake District mountain rescue team.

As we reported, the Patterdale team was called by police to Ullswater as they were packing up after rescuing an injured climber from Catstye Cam. The hoaxer claimed a party of speedboat users on the lake was in trouble and that one person had stopped breathing.

The emergency text message, using a system set up to help deaf people call the emergency services, led to the mountain rescue team, Coastguard, police and ambulance service rushing to the scene.

The message was received by Liverpool Coastguard this afternoon.

Members of Patterdale MRT had just finished dealing with an injured climber when the hoax text was sent

A Coastguard spokesperson said: “At 2.40 this afternoon they received the call, which comes through to the 999 operator via text message, and allows the emergency services to send text questions back when the first informant is deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired.

“The text reported that the informant was at Ullswater lake and could see ten people who had been aboard speedboats and were now in trouble. Using the text service to ask further questions, Liverpool Coastguard ascertained the location and requested the assistance of the South Lakes Coastguard Rescue Team, Cumbria Ambulance Service, Patterdale Mountain Rescue and Cumbria police.

“The Coastguard remained in contact with the informant, who then said that one person was ashore and was not breathing. The suspicions of the Coastguard were roused when they contacted the lake wardens who reported not being able to see anything. When rescue resources arrived on scene they completed a thorough search and nothing was found.”

Liverpool Coastguard watch manager Ged Lynch said: “When the police traced the call from the informant it was later found to have come from a location east of Manchester. Despite the hoaxer being nowhere near the vicinity of the area they were alleging the incident to be taking place they had a thorough knowledge of the area and we had no reason to suspect that this was a malicious call.

“This service, which allows people who would have difficulty communicating with the emergency services to report incidents and ask for help, is a revolutionary service that we are proud to be involved with. To have someone use it in a malicious way that led to a search involving several emergency services, is absolutely awful, and we hope that the police have success in catching the person who did it.”

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team is one of few that have a high-speed rescue boat to reach parts of their area around Ullswater.