The pair were walked down to Grisdale from Nethermost Pike. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

Two walkers were rescued after getting lost in low cloud as darkness fell on the Helvellyn range.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was alerted by police at 5.50pm on New Year’s Eve when the pair, from the West Midlands, called for help.

A team spokesperson said: “The location of the two males was quickly located by Sarloc to being on the ridge below Nethermost Pike heading down into the Grisedale valley.

“Due to the weather condition, fading batteries on both phones and torches of the males they were informed to stay still and the team would make their way up to them to walk them off.

“Three small teams were deployed covering the three routes up to the casualties to cover all eventualities. En route, after speaking to the casualty, it was established that they had split up with one male staying as instructed and the other one heading back up the ridge.”

Both walkers were eventually found and accompanied down to the valley bottom and taken to the team’s base in Patterdale.

The spokesperson said: “The rescue lasted just under six hours with 12 team members being deployed. Thankfully the team were able to make it home just in time to welcome the new year in with their families.”

Patterdale MRT volunteers were in action again the following day, with the first rescue of 2022.

Ambulance staff requested the team’s help about 4.30pm on Saturday after a walker slipped on a wet grassy path while descending Low Dodd towards Sandwick with her family, fell and heard a crack from her ankle.

Rescuers made their way to the site, assessed the walker’s injuries, splinted her leg and gave her pain relief before stretchering her to the team’s Land Rover, which took her down to the main road. A waiting ambulance then took her to hospital for further treatment.

Team members then took the rest of the family back to their holiday cottage so they could make their way to the hospital.

The four-hour incident involved 16 Patterdale MRT volunteers.