The body was found in Brown Cove, below Lower Man

Rescuers searching for a missing walker have found a body.

The discovery on the Helvellyn range followed a major search after 61-year-old Richard Hayne of Northamptonshire was reported missing after he failed to return to his hotel.

Cumbria Constabulary said Mr Hayne had not been seen since breakfast time on Wednesday when he left the Inn on the Lake, Glenridding.

Police initially believed he might have gone walking in the Bassenthwaite area.

A spokesperson for Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, which was called out yesterday along with Penrith MRT to search for Mr Hayne, described the search as being like looking for a needle in a haystack. “If he had gone out walking, he had left no notice of his intentions,” the spokesperson said.

Richard Hayne was reported missing after failing to return to his hotel

“The last recorded mobile phone pings suggested that the western flanks of the Helvellyn range from Clough Head to Browncove Crags might be a possible area to search, so the Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs were deployed to cover the gills, and a police helicopter to look into the steeper crags and ravines.

“Regrettably, after three hours, a man’s body was spotted by the observer in the police helicopter below Lower Man in Brown Cove.”

Rescuers then made their way to the site to recover the man’s body.

The 8¼-hour operation involved 19 Keswick MRT volunteers, four from the Penrith team and five search dogs and handlers.