Drunk camper sparked major search operation

AN “intoxicated” camper, who had pitched up outside of Britain’s highest inn for the night, sparked a major search operation after going missing at the weekend.
More than 40 rescuers assisted with the search and together they helped to find the 23-year-old, who had wandered off across the moors, away from the tent which he was staying in with friends close to Tan Hill Inn.
North Yorkshire Police received a call from the lost man at about 3am on Sunday, January 8.
Having spent the evening in the pub, the 23-year-old, who is believed to be from the Bradford area, was last seen at about 12.30am.
Cumbria Police and North Yorkshire Police conducted searches of the area and they called for back up at 5am.
They were joined by 21 members of Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, 11 members of Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team, seven members of Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team, a search dog and handler from Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team, and a search dog and handler from Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team.
The police helicopter also helped along with several police vehicles, officers and a general purpose police dog.
A spokesperson for Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team said: “He had been rather intoxicated. He had told police he was at a fence and was following a fence. We had to locate all of the fence lines on the map and go from there. It was a multi-agency job.”
The man was eventually found nine hours later at midday on Sunday.
The search and rescue spokesperson said: “We don’t know how far he had walked but when he was found he was about six or seven kilometres south of Tan Hill. He was relatively fit and well.”
The man was checked over by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service at the scene but did not require any hospital treatment.
The spokesperson added: “It is such a vast area up there. Unless you know what you are doing, you have a map and you know where you are going you should probably not venture out, especially not in the dark.
“I think when he fully sobered up he would have been a bit embarrassed.”