Tech warning after busy weekend for mountain rescue

Volunteers were called out 14 times over the weekend

Warm weather and the start of the school holidays meant an "unprecedentedly" busy weekend for mountain rescue volunteers.

Cumbria’s mountain rescue teams were called out 14 times in the Lake District in just two days.

The leader of one of the teams said the over-reliance on phone technology rather than a paper map and compass was one of the problems.

Richard Warren, leader of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, said: "People rely very much on smart technology which will let them down because batteries drain and not everybody carries a back-up battery."

He is also concerned about the determination of people to have their adventure regardless of the weather conditions.

"Many people just rock up in the Lake District and head up the hills without much thought about the risks," Mr Warren said.

"We talk to people in the valley bottom and advise them not to go up and they’ll turn around and say they have come here and we’re going to do it regardless.

"They don’t know what they don’t know, and they don’t know the risks they are taking."

'Avoidable'

At the weekend, the call-outs included someone who died after a cardiac arrest, a car being stuck on Hardknott Pass, three separate ankle injuries and two people being lost in cloud.

Mr Warren said he was hoping a focus on preventing avoidable incidents on the fells would help rescue volunteers focus on more serious call-outs.

He said "avoidable ones" compromised "the more serious ones – major traumas or medical emergencies".

"We had a bumper, massive number of 714 call-outs last year, and 30% were avoidable," he added.

"This year it has slightly improved and it's down to the campaign of safety messaging we are doing."

The Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, the umbrella organisation which speaks on behalf of all 12 mountain rescue teams, wants people to ask themselves three questions before heading onto the hills or into the water:

• Am I confident I have the knowledge and skills for the day?

• Do I know what the weather will be like?

• Do I have the right gear?