The man's body was found in a gully on Sharp Edge

The body of a man has been found on a Lake District mountain after a major overnight search for a missing walker.

The 64-year-old’s body was found near Sharp Edge on Blencathra this morning after a 14-hour operation involving more than 60 rescuers.

He had been reported missing after failing to return from a walk on the 868m (2,848ft) fell.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 8.10pm yesterday and its 23 volunteers were later joined by three other teams, nine search dogs and an RAF search and rescue helicopter in the hunt for the man.

The Keswick team and six search dogs combed the main routes up the mountain until 3am in poor visibility.

The search was suspended and resumed early today, with Cockermouth and Penrith MRTs joining the operation, along with members of RAF Valley MRT who were in the area.

Six more search dogs and a Sea King helicopter from RAF Boulmer in Northumberland also took part in the sweep of a large area of the mountain.

A Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “It was not until 10.30am that two Keswick team members spotted something red in a gully north of Sharp Edge, and this turned out to be the body of the missing walker.

“It appeared he had suffered head injuries in a fall. His body was evacuated by the RAF Sea King – a very sad outcome.”