The rescue scene on the slopes of Helvellyn. Photo: Keswick MRT

Three walkers were brought to safety after getting lost in bad visibility on England’s third-highest mountain.

Police contacted Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team on Saturday afternoon after the women rang 999 from Helvellyn.

However, it became clear the walkers were on the western side of the range and the incident was passed to Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

A Keswick team spokesperson said the trio became disoriented on a rather wet afternoon. “A PhoneFind gave their position between Whiteside and Helvellyn and while they continued down a team set out from Swirls car park to find and guide them off.

“A further PhoneFind notification allowed the team to locate the rather wet party quickly despite the mist. They were helped down to the car park where they had left their car.”

The rescue lasted 2½ hours and involved 13 team members.

Rescuers tend to the injured walker above Borrowdale. Photo: Keswick MRT

Keswick MRT was in action again twice on Sunday to aid injured walkers.

Its volunteers were called out about 1.25pm to aid a man who tripped and suffered a dislocated ankle when descending from Nitting Haws towards Grange in Borrowdale.

The walker was given strong pain relief before rescuers performed a reduction of the dislocation. He was then stretchered down to Hollows Farm to a waiting ambulance, which took him to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

Nine team volunteers were involved in the incident, which lasted a little less than two hours.

The team Land Rover was able to drive close to the scene. Photo: Keswick MRT

While that incident was underway, the team received another request for help.

A fellrunner came across a man who had injured his ankle when he slipped on the path traversing the base of High Rigg in St John’s in the Vale.

The spokesperson said: “He had tried to make his way to the road but the ankle was too painful to bear any weight.

“A Keswick team Land Rover was able to cross the fields and park close to the casualty. After providing pain relief and applying an ankle splint he was stretchered to the Land Rover and taken to an awaiting ambulance.”

The two-hour rescue involved 12 Keswick MRT members.