Coniston mountain rescue team called out to save stranded walkers during Met Office warnings

The first call to the mountain rescue team was made on Thursday with the majority of England under Met Office warnings Credit: ITV Border

Mountain rescuers were called out to help two separate groups of stranded walkers, despite active snow and ice Met Office weather warnings being in effect.

Coniston Mountain Rescue Team were called out initially on Thursday 9 March to a call of a couple who were stranded near the top of Dow Crag.

The couple had become lost on the tops of the mountain and could not get back down.

Coniston Mountain Rescue said of the incident: "Their position was established near to the top of Dow Crag, and we despatched two Land Rovers up the Walna Scar track with teams deploying up to Goat’s Hawse and to Brown/Buck Pike to cover both likely exits from Dow Crag.

"Conditions were a bit worse than forecast, with gusty winds knocking team members off their feet, but the cold casualties were located, given warm drinks, extra waterproofs, and slowly walked down off the fell-top to our Land Rovers.

"They were then driven to our base for further warming and a discussion about walk planning and equipment."

The rescue mission took four hours and involved 12 volunteers.

The second incident took place in the early hours of Friday morning as two males were seeking to climb the Old Man of Coniston, with plans to carry on to Hardknott Fort and to camp overnight.

Coniston Mountain Rescue said of the incident: "One of them eventually became irrational and uncommunicative, symptoms of hypothermia, so the other called for help.

"Cumbria Police called us at 5.10am and we despatched two Land Rovers to bring them down. So much snow had fallen that we had to fit both vehicles with snow chains in order to reach the Fell Gate and onto Windy Gap.

"We then walked up, found them, gave them a hot drink and accompanied them back to our base.

"There, they were warmed up with food and drink and educated on the merits of proper preparation, reviewing and heeding severe weather warnings and given the Adventure Smart message."

Nine volunteers attend the rescue effort for two hours and 50 minutes.

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