The Kentmere horseshoe

A group of emergency workers had to call on mountain rescuers today after getting lost on a Lakeland fell.

The team of six ambulance staff was attempting to walk the Kentmere horseshoe when they got into difficulties and had to call for help. Four mountain rescue teams went to their aid after they lost their way in deteriorating winter conditions.

Volunteers from Patterdale, Langdale-Ambleside, Kendal and Penrith Mountain Rescue Teams were mobilised by police after they were alerted to the walkers’ plight.

Mountain rescuers began a search of the upland plateau above Kentmere.

A Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey was on its way to join in the search, along with dogs from the Search and Rescue Dogs Association in the Scottish Borders when the party was found safe and well.

A spokesman for the Patterdale team said: “The group reported to their Yorkshire Ambulance control that that they had become severely disorientated in worsening conditions and believed they were on the High Street ridge.

“Thinking they were above Kentmere and seeking shelter, they descended from the ridge.  As they were unable to get a mobile phone signal from any of their six mobiles, they continued to the valley bottom before discovering they had wrongly descended into Patterdale.”

Members of the Patterdale team then joined colleagues from Keswick and Cockermouth on a major search on Skiddaw to which rescuers had been alerted.

In the second rescue, two walkers were treated for hypothermia after being found near Skiddaw’s 931m (3,054ft) summit.

More than 70 mountain rescuers were involved in the search, which began at 2pm. Four fellwalkers were found together 300m south of the summit cairn and another was located by a search-and-rescue dog north-east of the cairn.

Rescuers faced freezing conditions and winds of more than 50mph (80kph) in the operation, which lasted almost nine hours.

The two hypothermia victims were taken to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, while the other three walkers were given check-ups at Keswick Cottage Hospital.