A CUMBRIAN mountain rescue team was scrambled after a group of three walkers phoned the emergency services - then the call cut out abruptly.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team scrambled 10 members, along with Jess the search dog, on Tuesday at just before 4pm, after three walkers hiking between Stand Crag and Greta Gill in the Scafell Pike area had become lost after taking the sensible precaution of turning back upon realising they had set out too late in the day.

Phoning 999, the group's call was lost part-way through.

Cumbria Police then alerted the Wasdale Mountain Rescue team leader, who could not then successfully contact them or locate them using the PhoneFind technology.

A small team was therefore assembled in order to conduct a sweep of the area to locate the group.

However, as the first team members were arriving in the valley and beginning to make progress, the group were then located at the nearby Burnthwaite Farm.

A spokesman for Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team explained that thankfully, all three members of the group were safe and well.

The team were deployed for three hours and 36 minutes.