More than 50 volunteers across five teams were called to help a father and two sons who got lost trying to reach Scafell Pike.

Police received the call at around 9.40pm that the family had set off from Seathwaite but had become disorientated due to the poor conditions.

Wasdale MRT said: "Due to their phone batteries going flat the team leader was unable to either make contact or accurately identify their location. Based on information placed on the police log at the initial stages of the call out, a team member was able to provide an area in which to focus on and thus a team was sent out with the search dog Jess to cover that area. Wasdale team members continued to search until they had to be pulled off the hill for their own welfare and at this point extra resources were called in to carry on the search at first light.

"Members from Keswick, Duddon and Furness, RAF Leeming and the Lake District MRT Rescue Search Dogs all took part in the operation responded to the request. However, having spent an uncomfortable night out in dreadful conditions, they were able to make their own way down to the Wasdale valley floor at first light."