A dog handler and his animal join the search. Photo: LDMRSDA

A missing man was found after a major search in the North Pennines involving 10 mountain rescue teams, seven search dogs and a Coastguard helicopter.

The 40-year-old, who was acting as a grouse beater for a shoot, was lost for 24 hours on the hills above Brough.

He was found unharmed but confused near the summit of Helbeck Fell in Cumbria, bordering the Warcop firing range.

Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team was called out on Monday and enlisted the help of, among others, colleagues from the Keswick, Duddon and Furness, Kendal, Cleveland, Swaledale, Teesdale and Weardale, Patterdale teams, along with the Cave Rescue Organisation and RAF Leeming MRT.

Troops from the Warcop Training Centre also joined the search for the man, 500m (1,640ft) up on the Pennines.

A spokesperson for the Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs Association, whose dogs Rona, Beck, Corrie, Bute, Meg, Fern, Cuillin and their handlers took part in the operation, said the beater became lost when thick mist came in on the Pennines. “He was completely disoriented, and was unable to explain where he thought he was to call handlers.

“He was not particularly well equipped, and other members of the shoot became alarmed when he failed to turn up.

“The weather was damp and cool. Kirkby Stephen team organised a search, calling on surrounding Lakes and Pennine teams, search dogs and a Coastguard helicopter to assist in the search.

“Visibility was less than 10m in places, and very tricky ground conditions, with thick vegetation, shakeholes and deep peat groughs made the search exceptionally difficult.

“Seven Lakes dogs attended overnight, and stood down around 4am, with some returning for another shift from 11am on the following day, and yet others, Isla, Ted and Dottie, due to attend from 4pm.”

A Kirkby Stephen MRT spokesperson said: “It was a grim night and the terrain was tough, so it was hard work all round.” Gamekeepers from the estate helped ferry rescue volunteers across the fell.

The search dogs association spokesperson said: “More and more teams were mobilised into the area during the second day from as far afield as Cleveland, Duddon and RAF Leeming, but still no sightings were made until, at last, the missing man was located not far from the top of Helbeck Fell at 2.15pm.

“He was unhurt, but confused, and was ferried down from the fell to Kirkby Stephen base for a check over.”