Mountain rescue team search for two boys lost in Northumberland countryside

The two teenage boys were mountain biking in their local area when they became disoriented having lost the track between Long Crag and Cartington Hill, near Rothbury.

As light began to fade, the boys called 999 and a search team of volunteers headed out to locate them at around 5.45pm on Sunday, March 7.

A spokesman for Northumberland Mountain Rescue Team said: “With the light due to fade in hour, the two boys did exactly the right thing by dialling 999 and asking for the Police.

"Northumbria Police were able to triangulate the boys’ mobile phone to an area to the south east of Hard Heugh.

"Given the location of the boys, assistance from North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves was then requested.

"Members local to the Rothbury area were swiftly deployed as a hasty team, while others were placed on standby should additional assistance be required. As the hasty team reached the top of Cartington Hill, they could see a light to east."

The team found the two boys an hour after they were first called and were able to accompany the boys off the hill.

Northumbria Police took the boys and their bikes back to Rothbury and the two team members back to their Toyota Hilux.

The mountain rescue service said the incident involved five team members for 1 hour and 50 minutes and they had a further 32 members on standby in case they were needed.

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