Hikers warned not to get caught out by clock change

A mountain rescue team has warned walkers against being caught out by the darkness this weekend with the clocks changing.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team's leader Matt Cox said the volunteers had been called out to rescue an individual from Helvellyn at 18:30 BST on Wednesday after it got too dark for them to walk down.

Cox said he could guarantee more people would also need rescuing for the same reason across the Lake District this weekend and next.

"People at the moment will be going out and thinking I'm fine until half past six and in reality, they're not," he said.

Cox said the rescue on Helvellyn had taken the team about six hours and 45 minutes and that a coastguard helicopter had been required to take the walker to hospital as they were experiencing hypothermia.

He said walkers underestimated fell temperatures at this time of year.

Mountain tops are far colder than mountain valleys, said Cox, who urged people to check weather forecasts before heading out and to dress appropriately.

He also said people should pack spare phone batteries and not solely rely on their phone torch while out hiking this winter.

"This weekend and the next weekend after are always kind of our busy time for people who've not got torches and things," he said.

The clocks will go back an hour on Sunday, 25 October at 02:00 BST.

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