The Pennine Way on Cross Fell

Mountain rescuers used modern technology and mobile phones to help find walkers in two separate incidents.

Penrith Mountain Rescue Team was called out to help a couple who had got lost in darkness and thick mist on the Pennine Way.

The husband and wife were trying to find their way back to Dufton on Tuesday from Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines, but reported themselves lost.

The rescue team texted a website link to the couple’s mobile phone, which had a built-in GPS receiver, to display their position to the team on digital mapping at the Penrith base.

Ten mountain rescuers were then mobilised on the fell and were able to find the couple and escort them to safety in an operation lasting four hours.

While the Cross Fell incident was in progress, the team received another call for help from a walker lost in the High Street area.

The man used his mobile phone’s GPS feature to text the team with his co-ordinates, which enabled them to place him on Mardale Ill Bell, and allowed them to go straight to his position and help him back to his car, which was at Mardale Head.

Eleven team members took part in the rescue which again lasted four hours.

A spokesperson for the Penrith team said: “The Pennine Way incident was the first time the team had used the website link to show the location of a missing person on a computer at the team’s base.

“It worked well, but the walker needs to have a mobile phone with a GPS application and they need to have a good 3G signal.”

Kirkby Stephen and Patterdale Mountain Rescue Teams were put on standby during each incident, but were not called into action on them.