Advice to Cumbria hill walkers following Christmas Day fatality

People are being advised to take precautions when climbing hills following a fatality on Christmas Day.

The chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association Richard Warren said the last two years had been the busiest on record.

He wants people to protect themselves when climbing hills throughout the county.

Throughout the last year there has been 607 callouts in the Lake District for mountain rescue support, which is provided 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

Mr Warren said: "There were 607 callouts for the Lake District in the last year, 681 in the previous year.

"It has been very busy and tragically there was a fatality on Christmas Day.

"Our thoughts are with their family and friends but also the 12 volunteers that went out as part of the mountain rescue team on Christmas Day and left their families.

"We are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We go out to help people in difficulty."

Mr Warren spoke about the pressures facing the mountain rescue team and asked people who would be climbing Cumbria's hills to take the necessary precautions. He added: "It is a pressure for families, people who work and employers.

"The big problem is that one in four callouts the team go to are avoidable and if people could go to the adventure smart website, have a look at that and ask yourself the right questions do I know what the weather is, do I have the right gear and also do I have the skills.

"Just get those numbers down to make life easier for the volunteers."

And for those would are thinking of bracing the weather to climb the hills he had this advice. He said: "When the weather is not good then stay at home, stay out of the water but learn how to read a map and compass.

"The smart phone will die, take a power bank or two mobile phones. Without that communication you are in desperate trouble."

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