The rescue scene in Hind Gill. Photo: Keswick MRT

A couple were rescued when they got stuck on steep ground on a Lake District fell after a romantic proposal.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team was alerted shortly after 11pm on Sunday when a walker noticed distress signals coming from the flanks of Glaramara.

A team spokesperson said: “The recognised international distress signal is six short flashes of a torch or blasts of a whistle repeated at one minute intervals.”

The walker saw the flashing torch and heard the sound of the whistle and raised the alarm from the public phone box at Seathwaite. The area is notorious for its lack of mobile phone coverage.

The Keswick MRT spokesperson said a small team went to investigate. “A search dog and handler were first on scene and walked up the side of Hind Gill where the signals had been detected.

“Other team members approached with casualty care medical bag, shelter and some basic rigging equipment, not knowing exactly what they were going to.

“A couple were found by the search dog in the deep steep-sided gully unable to get out. A team member descended on a rope into the gully to help attach harnesses and helmets before the pair were able to climb out with the safety of a rope from above.

“Once out of the gully the full story emerged. After climbing Scafell Pike via the Corridor Route the pair returned by another route and were given instructions by a passer-by on the best way to return to Seathwaite.

“Somewhere on the descent, by a heart-shaped rock, the man proposed to his partner who happily accepted. They continued down but perhaps with their minds elsewhere they took a wrong turn and ended up towards Glaramara.

“Realising they needed to be down in the valley they attempted to descend Hind Gill.”

The team spokesperson said there was another twist to the tale. “The holidaying informant who called this in from the Seathwaite phone box was also the informant on [a] callout back in April on his previous holiday visit.

“Now that is something to be proud of.” On that occasion the man descended to Seathwaite Farm to report his wife, in her 80s, was suffering from severe cramp on the descent of Sourmilk Gill while undertaking the Coast to Coast Walk.

On arrival, rescuers found she had fallen and suffered an open fracture of her elbow, along with a shoulder injury and was becoming very cold after her time on the fell. She was airlifted to hospital by a Coastguard helicopter from Prestwick.

The team spokesperson added: “Often when we go out on a rescue, people tell us they’d like to buy us a coffee or a pint, which is much appreciated.

“For good reason however, we cannot use your mountain rescue donations towards social events such as a trip to the pub.

“’Buy me a coffee’ allows us to have a small social fund so that the team can get together outside of rescues or training. If you’d like to donate to this fund please follow the link. Cheers!”