Rescuers escort one of the walkers from the fell. Photo: Keswick MRT

Rescuers in the Lake District were called to help walkers who were caught out in wintry conditions on the fells.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted about 6.25pm on Wednesday to a couple in difficulties on Glaramara.

The team said one of them slipped off a drop and fell about 5m, banging her head and injuring her leg.

A spokesperson said: “The woman’s walking partner came to check if she was all right. The woman assured him she was OK and that he should continue to search for his mobile phone that he had lost on the fell somewhere.

“The man backtracked along their route but in the bad visibility and snow that was not easy. After giving up on the phone the man found he could no longer find the woman despite searching for some considerable time.

“The man, without his phone, had no choice but to descend. Meantime the woman realised that something was wrong and called 999 for mountain rescue.

“The woman was able to make her own way back up towards Glaramara aided by regular confirmatory calls from the rescue base and using PhoneFind to track her progress. When the phone signal got weak the woman was asked to stay where she was so that the team knew exactly where to find her.”

Team members made their way to the scene via Combe Gill, above Mountain View, and also up the steep Hind Gill approach from Seathwaite, to maximise the chances of finding the woman.

In the meantime, the man safely reached the valley and rang 999 from the payphone at Seathwaite, reporting his position and situation to police.

The Keswick MRT spokesperson said: “The woman reported being cold and having a sore leg from her fall so the team asked for help from Cockermouth MRT to boost Keswick’s numbers in the case a stretcher carry proved necessary. Many thanks to them for turning out to help.

“Despite poor visibility on the snowy tops the team found the woman thanks to the precise PhoneFind location. She was given some food and after being assessed she was able to walk off unaided.

“The two walkers were eventually reunited back at the Keswick MRT base where, let’s just say, some choice words were exchanged.”

The incident involved 22 Keswick team members and seven Cockermouth team members, lasting just over 4½ hours.

Colleagues from the Coniston team were also called out to aid two walkers in difficulty on the Old Man of Coniston in snowy, windy conditions with poor visibility.

A Coniston MRT spokesperson said: “When the lady could not continue, they called for help. Cumbria police contacted us, and we located them with a PhoneFind function on the south-east side of the Old Man.

“Two Land Rovers were dispatched up to Bursting Stone Quarry, and we walked up from there.

“Having found the pair, they were assessed, warm drinks and food given, dry clothing put on, and escorted down from the hill to our vehicles. They were then driven back to base for a warm-up and a chat about mountain conditions.”

The incident lasted almost three hours, with 11 Coniston MRT volunteers involved.