FELLWALKING day-trippers from outside Cumbria aged between 51 and 60 accounted for the highest number of call-outs for rescue teams last year, according to new statistics.

The figures were contained in the newly released Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Team Association's Mountain Incident Report 2002.

Ged Feeney, incident report officer, also said nearly half of all call-outs are now made by mobile phone, where they represented just 18 per cent six years ago.

Chairman John Dempster said while it could reduce time in responding to an incident, it should not be used as an excuse for going out ill-prepared.

"In fact, they may give a false sense of security, when in truth, there is limited cover among the mountains," said Mr Dempster in his report.

Poor preparation and inadequate experience was an underlying cause of most incidents.

Mr Feeney acknowledged the vast proportion of people needing assistance were not local and it was difficult getting over the message which many Cumbria residents understood.

"There is nothing in place to get the message over to people out of the county, other than by the normal channels of the British Mountaineering Council, the Rambler's Association and other such groups," said Mr Feeney.

He explained that the report, which contains advice and warns of specific dangers, was

circulated to regional and national walking outlets in an effort to make more people aware.

Said Mr Feeney: "Most of the injuries are lower leg injuries and the majority of them have occurred when people are either descending or occur towards the end of a day's walking. Quite a few of those are elderly but the majority of people are daytrippers who see a nice view, see a walk and off they go. Towards the end of the day when they are returning they tend to come to grief, it could be a lack of concentration."

Mr Feeney said most people were unused to walking over rough terrain and their ankles are not strong enough.

Across the county's 13 mountain rescue teams, there were 337 calls outs, which means the number of incidents has returned to pre foot-and-mouth levels. There were 14 fatalities no change on last year and it represented the lowest number of fatalities since 1997, apart from foot-and-mouth in 2001 when many walks were closed. In total, 189 people were injured, of which 91 were serious injuries and 98 minor. Slips and falls continue to represent the biggest single reason for mountain rescue teams to be called out, while being lost or overdue featured in the top five causes.

Anyone needing advice or information should contact http://www.ldsamra.org.uk

June 4, 2003 10:00