The rescue team used its vehicles' blue flashing lights to help locate the lost walkers

Mountain rescuers pleaded for hillwalkers to pack their torches after a two-year-old child had to be brought to safety from a Lakeland fell.

Two other children, aged three and eight, were among a party of six that was stranded in darkness today, unable to make their way off the fell.

Police alerted Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team at 6pm to the plight of the walking group from Gateshead, which was benighted above the Lake District village where the team is based.

A spokesperson for Patterdale MRT said: “The team located the party near Boredale Hause by using the blue lights on the vehicle, which the party were able to see in the valley bottom.

“Four team members then made their way up to the group and provided lights and assistance to get them off the fell.”

Boredale Hause lies about 400m (1,312ft) up, on the route to Angle Tarn.

The spokesperson pleaded with anyone venturing on to the fells to carry the correct equipment, including a torch, map and compass.