By Julie Morgan

Published at 11:12, Thursday, 02 August 2012

AROUND 40 mountain rescuers worked for nine hours in “challenging conditions’’ in a search for two walkers lost on Scafell Pike.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue were called out on Sunday at 9pm to look for the walkers who were “very cold and wet’’ and were unable to give much information about their position.

Eventually at 2am, after the rescuers had searched the whole Scafell Pike area, the walkers were found on Calfcove Ghyll under Ill Crag.

An RAF Sea King helicopter, which was “pushed to the limit’’ in tough and very wet conditions, airlifted the walkers, given warm and dry clothes, to safety.

The Wasdale team was also joined by Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue, Keswick Mountain Rescue and the Lake District Rescue Dogs team in the search.

This was the second all-night rescue by the Wasdale team in four nights.

A spokesperson for Cumbria Police, who called out the team, said both incidents could have been avoided by walkers “properly preparing and planning’’ their journeys.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk