Rescuers at Scales Tarn, with Sharp Edge in the distance. Photo: Keswick MRT

Mountain rescuers stood down after failing to find a casualty who was reported to have fallen off a Lake District ridge.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted shortly after 9am on Sunday, the morning after their Christmas celebrations.

Police informed the team a 40-year-old man had contacted them to say his 27-year-old brother had fallen from Sharp Edge on Blencathra. The initial report was that the man had not suffered any injuries and was well.

A Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “A team set off immediately anyway to investigate and offer assistance.

“When further reports arrived the news was a lot more alarming and worrying. The man had fallen 50m, was getting cold and was unresponsive. A call was made for Coastguard helicopter assistance in what seemed to be potentially a very serious incident.

“A second truck full of team members left base and made their way up Mousthwaite Comb towards Sharp Edge. As the first team members approached Scales Tarn a further message was received from the two men that the man who had fallen was uninjured and they were going to continue up the ridge to the top of Blencathra.”

The helicopter crew was stood down and mountain rescuers continued up the fell to make sure all was well.

The spokesperson said: “The leading team members made their way along Sharp Edge to the point they could see all the way to the top with no sign of the ‘casualties.’ All members were stood down and returned to base.”

The incident lasted almost 2¾ hours and involved 19 volunteers from Keswick MRT.