Last updated 11:58, Monday, 27 October 2008

Mountain rescue teams were called out from noon on Saturday and said the weather was bad from Thursday when organisers were setting up.

At its height, 70 volunteers from Keswick, Cockermouth, Penrith, Wasdale and the Ullswater-based RAF Leeming teams were involved.

Keswick leader Mark Hodgson said his team had been working to help stricken runners since Saturday lunchtime.

He described weather conditions on the fells as “atrocious” with rescuers being forced to negotiate floodwater and landslips to reach those in trouble.

Mr Hodgson said: “I have been out there in some fairly wild weather, but that ranks as one of the wildest.

“When everybody out there is soaked and there is a strong wind you cool down quite quickly.

“Luckily, all these people had equipment with them because they were intending to be camping overnight.

“A lot of people had already got themselves into tents and out of the weather, which was the right thing to do.”

But despite the fact that those out on the fells were experienced and well-equipped, Mr Hodgson was doubtful they should have been there at all in such weather and critical of those who allowed the race to go ahead.

“Had anyone rang and asked for advice, we would have told them it was their decision whether to go ahead, but you have to question the wisdom of allowing it to carry on,” he added.

“The weather was just as bad on Thursday when the people were out setting up for the event.”

Thirty rescue volunteers from the Keswick team alone spent the weekend on the fells helping those in trouble.

Weather conditions were so bad that they were unable to physically search for people on Saturday – and instead had to concentrate on those known to be in difficulty at specific locations.

Their first call-out – to two casualties suffering from hypothermia above Rigg Head quarries, Borrowdale – was just before noon on Saturday. As team members made their way to that emergency, they received calls to another three casualties in Borrowdale, Gillercombe and Sty-Head.

Two of these casualties had suspected broken legs. The third had head injuries. Extra support was then called in.

Torrential rain and high winds hampered the rescue operation on Saturday, during which 11 people were rescued by volunteers – two with suspected fractured ankles, six with hypothermia and two with facial injuries.

The last of the rescuers came off the fells at about 10pm on Saturday with the only way to get back from Seathwaite to Keswick being via Honister Pass, Buttermere and Newlands Hause, with the Buttermere road blocked by a landslide.

Access to Keswick from Borrowdale had been impossible because of flooding.

Keswick team vehicles had to negotiate 3ft of flood water to get out of Seathwaite with their casualties.

Rescuers returned yesterday to help track down those still unaccounted for.

A debrief of the operation is expected to take place soon involving all the rescue agencies involved and the marathon organisers.