Two fellwalkers were found safe and well after a major search yesterday in the Lake District.

The pair, from Southport in Merseyside, separated in mid afternoon on Sunday from the rest of their party and failed to rendezvous later. Their fellow walkers rang the police when they were four hours overdue.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team spoke to the men’s family and began a search of Dovedale, between Dove Crag and Brothers Water.

Search and Rescue Dogs Association members were called in for the search, along with volunteers from the Langdale and Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team.

A spokesperson for the Patterdale team said: “The two were eventually located, fit and well, but now some six hours late. They had made slow progress down their planned route then, without torches, they struggled to make any further progress when it became dark.”