The pair made their way down via Slight Side, left

Rescuers reminded walkers of the importance of carrying a torch, map and compass on the hills after a search for two lost men on England’s second-highest mountain.

The pair were reported missing in the dark on Scafell yesterday.

Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team was called out at 7pm.

John Wealthall of the team said: “The weather was particularly windy and wet and we had no knowledge of the location of the two missing people, a search was commenced.

“The two young men were not well kitted out or experienced according to their friends and father. They did not have a map or compass but were believed to have torches.”

Duddon and Furness MRT members prepared to search the southern routes to the mountain while Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team mounted a search from its side of the fell.

Mr Wealthall said: “Quite quickly some lights were seen on the nose route off Lingmell by Wasdale MRT covering their side.

“Unfortunately these turned out to be three unrelated walkers making their way off the hill. They had not seen any lights or other parties.

“Seventeen members of the DFMRT were present and all three of our vehicles dispatched. The first of our teams had just departed on foot from their vehicle when the two missing people turned up having come down from Slight Side and telephoned from a house in the valley to say they were down.

“DFMRT then located them on the road and transported them to be reunited with friends and family.”

Mr Wealthall said his team was involved in a similar search last weekend on the Coniston Fells, looking for a single walker lost on Goats Hause in failing light.

“His torch batteries failed but he was found by the Coniston team near to Goats Water,” he said.

“This is an ideal time to remind everyone to carry a map and compass and know how to use them and to have at least one working torch and spare batteries for it.”