A SCOUT who survived an avalanche that left three dead in the Lake District 40 years ago reunited with the mountain rescuers who saved him. 

Half of the six Venture Scouts died on Nethermost Pike on January 14 1984 when Simon Ellis was just 17. 

Dave Freeborn, who was involved in Simon's rescue and is still in Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team today, said: "We were able to dig out the logbook from 1984 and familiarise ourselves with the details, although a rescue like that, with three fatalities and three seriously injured young people, sticks in your mind.”

A reunion involving the whole family (L/R): Tracy Ellis, Neville Elllis (Simon’s father), Wes Davis (Emily’s partner), Jacquie and Dave Freeborn, Emily Ellis (Simon’s daughter), Jonathan Ellis (his younger son), Syd Burns, Robin Brunner Ellis (Simon’s brother), Simon Ellis, Christopher Ellis (Simon’s elder son), John Williams and Mark Tomlinson.A reunion involving the whole family (L/R): Tracy Ellis, Neville Elllis (Simon’s father), Wes Davis (Emily’s partner), Jacquie and Dave Freeborn, Emily Ellis (Simon’s daughter), Jonathan Ellis (his younger son), Syd Burns, Robin Brunner Ellis (Simon’s brother), Simon Ellis, Christopher Ellis (Simon’s elder son), John Williams and Mark Tomlinson. (Image: Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team)

Simon, who grew up near Stockton-on-Tees, has lived in Colorado Springs in the United States since the 1990s. His wife Tracey organised the meetup on a family holiday in the Lakes. 

"We were staying in Ambleside and Simon knew we were taking our children and his father, Neville, over to Patterdale for the evening but neither of them knew that I’d been in touch to organise a meet up,” said Tracy. 

She described the reunion as 'very emotional.' Their children also got to see the rescue centre and find out more about mountain rescue. 

Syd Burns and former team chairman John Williams were also involved in the 1984 rescue and met up with Simon. Current Patterdale MRT member Mark Tomlinson was rescued from Nethermost Pike ten years after Simon, so he also joined the reunion. 

“Several teams were involved, not only Patterdale, as we also asked for support from Langdale/Ambleside, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen and Kendal teams as well as RAF Linton who were in the area," Dave said. 

"There was a huge amount of snow on the fells at that time and the rescue itself took over eight hours. I also remember it took us a few days to retrieve our Team Land Rover from the snow drifts after the rescue too." 

The evening ended with tea and cake, provided by Mark's wife Kate and 'a lot of conversation and shared memories.'