MOUNTAINS in Cumbria could soon be graded in the same way as ski slopes under new proposals - with the most dangerous for walkers becoming the equivalent of a black run.

The move is among a number of measures being suggested by the county's expert mountain rescuers in a bid to halt the escalating tally of deaths and injuries on the fells.

There were 20 fatalities among walkers in Cumbria last year - but there have been eight during the first four months of 2018 alone.

The bodies of two more people were discovered in recent weeks. A 25-year-old woman was found on Rossett Pike, in Great Langdale, on April 5 while a man was found by walkers on Latrigg, near Keswick, on Tuesday last week.

Neither death was said to have been suspicious.

A meeting between mountain rescue volunteers and officials from the National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority and English Heritage has now taken place to discuss ways to increase safety for walkers.

The group does not want to see signage on the mountains and felltops themselves, they are keen to stress.

But they believe information boards with clear, factual safety advice in car parks used by walkers could help to reduce an estimated 150 avoidable rescues in Cumbria every year.

Leaflets in a variety of languages would also be a benefit for overseas visitors, the volunteers add, while the use of technology to interact with people's smart phones should also be considered.

Richard Warren, regional chairman of the Lake District Search and Rescue Association, said: "We would like the organisations involved in bringing visitors to Cumbria to work together on this.

"We're not talking about putting signs on the fells. But we do think signs in car parks that give information about the fells in a clear format could help to reduce the number of rescues that are required every year.

"If these signs graded a particular route in the same way as we do for skiing or mountain bikes, for instance, and told people how long it would take them to go up and then down again it would probably make them think carefully about whether they were properly prepared as they set off.

"It might tell walkers Mickledore is a red route in summer and a black route in winter.

"We wouldn't see people setting off at 2pm in the afternoon in winter if they read the walk was going to take four hours," he added.

Deaths

In 2015 the tragedies included the deaths of six people in unrelated incidents on Helvelyn, England's third highest mountain, including Michael Flanagan, 45, who suffered fatal injuries when he fell from the 950 metre high fell in January that year.

The number of deaths on Cumbria's fells totaled 13 in 2016.

The following year, this had tragically shot up to 20 and was made up of a mixture of accidents and medical emergencies.

Among these was the death of a 54-year-old man who fell 200 metres from Swirrel Edge, on Helvelyn. He died despite being well equipped.

With eight deaths already confirmed in 2018, mountain rescue experts are fearful the figure could hit a record high by December.

So far, the tragic loss of life has included a man in his sixties who died following a 300 feet fall from Dow Crag on February 18, at Coniston, a man who was airlifted from Scafell Pike just days later on February 27, and Andrew Martz, 55, who fell 200 feet from Brown Cove Crags on Helvelyn in March.

Rescues

Mountain rescue volunteers in the county were called out 543 times in 2017 - with a further 80,999 calls that were actively managed by team leaders from base, on many occasions overnight.

The rescues included 270 people who suffered a trauma such as a sprained ankle or broken wrist after falling, slipping or tripping, and 52 medical incidents which include a heart attack or collapse.

The remaining 133 rescues were for people who had got lost or disorientated, who had become stuck on a high fell in extreme winter conditions or who had not allowed enough time to complete their walk before darkness fell.

In many of these cases, those needing help were not carrying basic, essential equipment like a map or torch or were not prepared for extreme conditions on the high fells in winter.

These could all be classed as avoidable, Mr Warren, who is also a member of Wasdale Mountain Rescue, said, representing hundreds of hours of rescue time by volunteers within Cumbria's 10 mountain rescue teams.

"The number of rescues has increased hugely in the last 30 years," he added.

"Mainly, this is down to the volume of people on the fells - we have millions of visitors to the Lake District every year now.

"We know on a sunny Saturday in peak season there might be 3,500 people up there walking and it's guaranteed we'll get a call.

"The weather is a big factor as well. If it's wet or icy people slip or if they're cold and miserable they're more likely to have an accident.

"We don't mind going out to help people who have had an accident.

"It's a privilege to be able to go onto the fells and use our skills to get to someone who needs our help.

"But this year has got to be the year where we take action to help stop avoidable accidents.

"We are all volunteers. We need the organisations involved in bringing people into the county to help stop the number of deaths and injuries from rising any further."

The meeting, held at Nether Wasdale Village Hall, was set to be attended by representatives from the Lake District National Park Authority and the National Trust.

Both organisations operate car parks in the Lake District near to popular fell walks.

Cumbria's mountain accident black spots

Cumbria is home to England's highest mountain, Scafell Pike, which stands at 3,210 feet or 978 metres.

But the county's range of peaks and felltops form part of a highway of popular walks, scrambles and ridges that attract hundreds of thousands of people every year.

They include accident blackspots. These include:

* Helvelyn, including Striding Edge, Swirrel Edge, Browncove Crags.

* Blencathra, including Sharp Edge.

* Scafell Pike, including Piers Gill, Broad Stand, Lord's Rake.

* Pillar Rock and Great Gable.

* Coniston Old Man including Dow Crag.

* Bow Fell.

Marijuana smokers rescued from Scafell

A GROUP of men who could no longer walk after smoking marijuana on England's highest mountain dialled 999 for help last year.

A team from Wasdale Mountain Rescue set off to locate the four men on Scafell Pike in September.

Police in Cumbria issued details at the time, saying: "Persons phoning Cumbria Police because they are stuck on a mountain, after taking cannabis.

"Now having to deploy mountain rescue, air support and ambulance to rescue them. Words fail us."

'Lost for words': Rescuers astounded as couple pictured on Striding Edge without coats in the snow

A COUPLE tackling Striding Edge in the snow without coats and wearing only trainers drew criticism from mountain rescuers who exclaimed they'd 'seen it all now'.

The pair scaled Helvelyn in early April when the mountain was clad in snow and ice and temperatures at the top were sub-zero.

Despite wearing only thin jumpers and carrying no essential equipment, they had refused safety advice from experienced walker Martin Graham who highlighted the danger they were in and urged them to turn back.

Richard Warren, chairman of the Lake District Search and Rescue Association, said: "I think I have seen everything now - the young lady is probably too lightly dressed for a walk in the village let alone one of the most exposed ridges in England."