Three young walkers were rescued from steep woodland after becoming stranded in the dark and unable to find their way back to a footpath.
Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team was called by North Yorkshire Police late on Monday night after the trio became stuck on steep ground in Hackfall Woods, near Grewelthorpe, Masham.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service had initially attended the incident after the walkers got into difficulty at about 10.18pm.
Using the What3Words app, fire control staff pinpointed the group’s location and advised them to remain where they were.
The walkers were also told to use only one mobile phone torch while waiting for help so another phone could conserve battery power and maintain contact with emergency services.
Firefighters from Bedale reached the bottom of the steep slope and made verbal contact with the three young people, who were told Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team was on its way.
Mountain rescue volunteers quickly set up a rope rescue system to safely recover all three walkers from the difficult terrain before escorting them back to their vehicle.
Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team said the incident highlighted the dangers of leaving marked paths in Hackfall Woods.
The team said: “It’s a very steep and wooded area if you lose the path. Another great example of multi-agency working.”
No injuries were reported during the rescue.
Both Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service praised the joint response, with the incident involving police, firefighters and mountain rescue volunteers working together to bring the walkers safely back to safety.
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