Lake District mountain rescuers attend fewer call-outs

The 12 mountain rescue teams in the Lake District are funded by voluntary contributions

Mountain rescue teams in the Lake District have recorded a 12% reduction in the number of emergency call-outs.

The Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association (LDSAMRA) said its 12 teams of volunteers dealt with a total of 584 incidents in 2019.

This compared with 656 in 2018, which was described as a record year.

LDSAMRA said a safety awareness initiative seemed to have cut the number "truly avoidable rescues" which account for 30% of call-outs.

Introduced in the UK in 2019, the initiative encourages people going into the mountains to check they have the right gear, are confident they have the necessary knowledge and skills, and know what weather conditions are going to be like.

The Keswick team dealt with one of the last call-outs of the year - a walker who fell 15m and sustained a serious head injury

A spokesman for the LDSAMRA thanked supporters.

He said: "Without your donations and the dedication of all our unpaid team members we would not be able to support our communities the way we do.

"Long may the ethos of a free mountain rescue service last."

Marty, Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team's search dog, took part in the year's final rescue late on New Year's Eve