Mountain rescue teams were scrambled to search the Scafell Pike area for a party of mountain bikers who were long overdue returning from their venture.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, alongside Langdale and Ambleside and the Keswick & Duddon & Furness teams, were called upon to mount a search for a part of six mountain bikers who had not returned from their jaunt at the expected time on Tuesday evening.

The cyclists had planned to travel from Windermere to Wasdale Head, both on and off-road.

A family member waiting for the group at the Wasdale Head Inn became concerned when they failed to turn up at the intended time, and called the police.

The three mountain rescue teams were alerted to the missing cyclists, and they began trying to piece together where the group could possibly have gone.

A spokesman for the Wasdale team explained: "Investigations were made including analysis of mobile phone use, understanding what their intentions were and what type of decisions would most likely have been made based on how their day might have developed.

"With very little information to confirm a route and a location to possibly search, and that the overdue party had not called 999 themselves, team members were sent out in vehicles to search the roads and pubs between Langdale and Wasdale."

As the group still had not been found by the morning, more team members were dispatched along search routes.

However, by mid-morning, "after a very cold, uncomfortable and scary night, the missing bikers arrived at Wasdale Head safe and sound," the spokesman said.

"Thank you very much to all the team members from the other Mountain Rescue Teams who were involved, and another thank you to RAF Leeming who offered their services if required.

"Before you decide to undertake any activity such as this, please take the opportunity to gain valuable information from the ‘AdventureSmart.UK’ website and make sure you have properly planned and make the right decisions in order to have a successful and safe day out."