The family and their dog got stuck on Broad Stand

A family and their dog were rescued from a precarious position after getting stuck at a notorious accident blackspot on England’s second-highest mountain.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team spent eight hours in the operation to lower the four and their black labrador down Broad Stand on Scafell.

The team was called out about 3.15pm after the family from Lincolnshire shouted for help.

A team spokesman said they were in an exposed and dangerous location.

He said: “They had made a very wise decision to shout for help rather than attempt the notorious 10m [33m] scramble descent down to the safety of Mickledore ridge which sits between Scafell and Scafell Pike.

“A fine sunny day with clear skies and perfect visibility soon turned into darkness, with low cloud very poor visibility and bitterly cold winds.

“Two advance party members of the Wasdale team finally located the family after a difficult descent down the very slippery steep slabs and outcrops from the summit of Scafell to their location.”

The walkers and their dog were warmed in a bivvy tent and more rescue team members brought up heavy gear, to set up a complex and time-consuming rope-lowering system to evacuate the group.

“They were eventually lowered, one at a time, down the 8m [26ft] vertical drop to the safety of the ridge.

“The dog was carefully wrapped up in a cargo net before it also had the pleasure of the roped lower.”

The whole group then made a 1½ hour descent to the road at the head of Wasdale.

The rescue involved 12 volunteer team members and ended about midnight.