By Thom Kennedy

Last updated at 14:25, Thursday, 27 August 2009

PENRITH Mountain Rescue Team has warned groups of walkers to match the pace of their slowest member after a call out over a man who had become detached from his party.

Last week, a 62-year-old man from Billericay in Essex fell behind his group of walkers on Mardale Head, and as he did not have a mobile phone, retraced his steps back to his hotel.

In the meantime, his daughter reported him missing. Fourteen Penrith Mountain Rescue members and rescue dogs were called out, an RAF search and rescue helicopter was mobilised and Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue team was put on standby.

Shortly after the helicopter was airborne, the man contacted his daughter from the hotel, and the teams stood down, around an hour after the man had first been reported missing last Friday.

A Penrith team spokesman said that to avoid similar incidents parties should walk at the pace of the slowest member.

TKennedy@cngroup.co.uk

First published at 11:32, Thursday, 27 August 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk