Ill-equipped walkers spotted in The Cheviots in blizzard-like weather

Mountain rescue team volunteers have warned that people must be prepared for winter conditions

Walkers were found wearing trainers and flimsy clothing during "blizzard-like" conditions and sub-zero temperatures in rural Northumberland.

Rescuers on a training exercise came across a group of five people atop The Cheviot, which is 2,674ft (815m) high, amid fading light two weeks ago.

Rescue teams have warned people not to put themselves and others "at risk".

It comes after a man suffered "life-changing" injuries after a fall while helping a camper in the Lake District.

Volunteers from the Northumberland National Park and North of Tyne mountain rescue teams have reported a number of people wearing unsuitable clothing for walking, such as lightweight jackets, cotton jogging bottoms and wellies.

People have been seen in the Simonside Hills near Rothbury and at Hedgehope Hill in The Cheviots.

'Whiteouts'

The group of "young adults" discovered at summit of The Cheviot at the end of January managed to get back to safety after rescuers, wearing helmets and crampons, spoke with them.

"Thankfully they got down safely, they lived to tell the tale," said Iain Nixon, from Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team.

"They were younger individuals, probably new to the outdoors. There was half an hour's light and they had to get down from the highest hill down to their car. Even a reasonably fit walker, if you really pushed it, would take an hour and a quarter.

"We are training for these harsh conditions and we wouldn't want people to put themselves at risk. If something happened it puts our members at risk but that's what we train for.

"These are conditions which you would normally find on top of the Scottish mountains in the middle of the winter. You have whiteouts where you can't see where you are going, there is no distinction between the sky and the land."

Volunteers had to use skis to reach someone taken ill at a remote farmhouse in Northumberland

Mr Nixon said there had been a "significant increase" in people coming out into the hills since the first lockdown eased in 2020, many of whom are new to hill walking.

Northumbria Police said it was "extremely disappointing and concerning" to see people putting themselves and rescue teams at unnecessary risk.

Current Covid-19 lockdown guidelines state people should limit outdoor exercise and not travel outside their local area.

Skiing to rescue

A yellow warning for snow and ice remains for some areas until Saturday.

It is thought the wind chill in the Northumberland hills could reach as low as -19C (-2.2F) at the weekend, Northumbria Police said.

Meanwhile, rescuers assisting an ambulance crew travelled by skis to reach a remote farmhouse in Upper Coquetdale, Northumberland, to help a resident who had been taken ill.

Due to heavy snowfall over the previous days the property was inaccessible.

A Coastguard helicopter airlifted the patient to hospital, with "some superb flying" by the pilot in "very difficult conditions" on Thursday, rescuers said.

Afterwards, the volunteer team members travelled 1.5 miles (2.4km) through deep snow back to their vehicle. A tractor was used to helped them get back out due to the depth of the snow on the tracks.