The cavers had entered the Gaping Gill system

Three cavers were rescued from a Yorkshire Dales system after getting stranded underground.

The men were reported overdue after going into the Gaping Gill system on the slopes of Ingleborough.

The Cave Rescue Organisation was called out shortly after midnight today, Sunday, to search for the trio, aged 59, 52 and 32.

The men had entered the Gaping Gill system via OBJ Hole.

A team spokesperson said: “CRO search parties found the cave only partially rigged, with no indication of the cavers’ whereabouts.

“Further searches of Bar Pot eventually established contact with the overdue cavers who had self-marooned at the Flood Entrance Pot side of the Horrocks Stearn crawl, having pulled their ropes down and then failed to negotiate the connecting crawl, preventing their intended exit via Stile Pot.

“The three were escorted out to the surface via Wades Entrance and brought down to Clapham.”