The 'fortified' UFO spotters' lights were seen on the Sticks Pass. Photo: Mick Garratt CC-BY-SA-2.0

The 'fortified' UFO spotters' lights were seen on the Sticks Pass. Photo: Mick Garratt CC-BY-SA-2.0

A group of UFO spotters prompted a callout by mountain rescuers after their lights were spotted by a member of the public.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted in the early hours of Sunday when police were called with a report of lights stationary on Sticks Pass on the Helvellyn range.

A deputy team leader went to the site above Legburthwaite after being alerted about 25 minutes past midnight, to find out if anyone was in difficulties.

A team spokesperson said: “It turned out to be a number of UFO spotters, who, shall we say, had ‘fortified themselves’ before taking to the hill.

“They were persuaded to come down for their own safety.”

The previous day, the team turned out to help a 31-year-old man who slipped and injured his ankle while coming down Grains Gill in Borrowdale.

“Although his companions managed to carry him about 300m, it was obvious they weren’t going to get down without help.

“They were well equipped with a shelter and the relevant equipment, which was just as well, as it was snowing by then, and looked after their companion until the team arrived.

“The casualty was stretchered down to Seathwaite Farm, and an ambulance transferred the casualty to the West Cumberland Hospital [in Whitehaven] for treatment.”

The 3¼-hour rescue involved 15 team members.

The Keswick team also mounted an unsuccessful search on Monday for a missing man in the Harrop Tarn and Blea Tarn area.

Five search dog teams joined 17 Keswick MRT members in the operation looking for the man who was reported missing from home.

The spokesperson said: “Despite a significant amount of ground being searched, nothing was found.”

The search lasted more than four hours and was the Keswick team’s 92nd this year.

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