October 30, 2020 2.52 pm This story is over 41 months old

‘Lost walker’ drove home during five-hour search mission to find her

ANPR cameras spotted her travelling home to Lincolnshire

The search operation lasted five hours and involved five mountain rescue teams, Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England and five police forces. | Photo: Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team

A ‘lost walker’ in the Peak District was spotted driving home to Lincolnshire while rescue teams were still looking for her during a five-hour search operation.

The search mission involved five mountain rescue teams, search dogs and five police forces.

Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team posted on social media that it was called out shortly after 2pm on Thursday, October 29 to reports of a walker in difficulties somewhere between Crowden and Black Hill.

The rescue team was called out on October 29. | Photo: Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team

Further communication between the lost walker and police suggested she was at Black Hill trig point, prompting a hasty party to be deployed to the summit. Mountain Rescue Teams from Glossop, Oldham, Bolton and Holme Valley were put on standby to assist should the situation escalate.

It was clear that she was not at this location and further communication between the woman and police suggested she may be in the Red Ratcher area close to Pennine Way. Mountain Rescue Teams from Glossop and Oldham searched the surrounding areas.

Police tried to maintain contact with the missing walker, but problems locating her phone signal made it difficult and the search extended to using all five rescue teams.

The search operation included five mountain rescue teams. | Photo: Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team

The walker was later spotted driving home while rescue teams were still looking for her. | Photo: Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team

The search was then extended to include the search dog scout from Mountain Rescue Search Dogs England until the police confirmed the missing walker’s car was picked up by ANPR travelling back home to Lincolnshire safe and well.

Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team said: “The vast number of emergency services involved in this particular callout was partly due to misleading phone triangulation which put the missing walker in areas that she shouldn’t have been in. All’s well that ends well.”