The two men went for a night-time trip on Bassenthwaite Lake

Rescuers have warned outdoor fans not to mix alcohol and water after they were called to help a man stranded on a lake after a drinking session.

Police alerted Keswick Mountain Rescue Team when two men decided to take an inflatable canoe on to Bassenthwaite Lake in the early hours of Sunday while under the influence of alcohol.

A team spokesperson said: “The inevitable happened: they capsized. One managed to swim ashore and the other managed to get into a moored boat, but could not get back to shore.

“A small team turned out to retrieve him from his predicament. Alcohol and water rarely mix well.”

Three team members were involved in the incident, which lasted just over an hour.

The team was also called out to help a walker lost on the fells on Friday.

The 60-year-old woman, who was walking alone, called for help after getting disoriented and exhausted somewhere in the Ullscarf area.

The Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “The team despatched a number of parties including a search dog, via various routes to try to locate her.

“After further information came through from the casualty, she was located by two team members between Ullscarf and Greenup Edge. It had been envisaged that she might need to be stretchered off, but in the event she was able to walk down to Harrop Tarn with the team, and transport was then provided to take her to her campsite, which was on the team’s route home.”

The 3½-hour rescue involved 18 volunteer team members.

Keswick MRT was in action again yesterday when a woman in her 60s slipped on loose stones while coming down the zigzag path above Swirls on the western slopes of Helvellyn and broke her ankle.

The team spokesperson said: “She had turned back some way above this point, but her husband had continued to the summit, not realising she had had a fall.

“The team turned out to assist the ambulance service, but as we were short-handed, Langdale Ambleside MRT were asked to come and assist. By the time they turned up, she was packaged ready for transport, and the carry down had begun.

“Just as the Langdale members arrived, their pagers went off for a job in Easedale. The lady was quickly delivered to the North West Ambulance Service ambulance at Swirls car park for onward transport to Carlisle, the Langdale party took off for their job, Keswick team left notes and messages for the lady’s husband and, now it was Langdale’s turn to be short of personnel.

“So the Keswick team members pursued them over Dunmail Raise, to help out with a diabetic patient in difficulties in Easedale.

“However, they were fortunate enough to have the services of the air ambulance fairly swiftly, and the team was able to stand down and return to Keswick.”

The 80-year-old walker from Cambridgeshire had collapsed due to low blood-sugar levels. He was treated by a doctor and paramedics from the Great North Air Ambulance and was able to carry on from the site at Easedale Tarn.