A FAMILY had to be rescued from Pendle Hill after getting lost in bad weather.

Visibility dropped to less than 30 feet as a man and a woman in their 40s and a woman in her 20s were saved by the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team (RPMRT) on Sunday.

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A police spokesman said they were called at 2pm after the group had been walking for more than three hours and could not find their way back.

The police called the rescue team, which used its Search and Rescue Location app (SARLOC) to help pinpoint where the family were from their mobile phone signal.

Rescuers said they have only used the app in rescues a handful of times.

The group were found near Scout Cairn and were back at ground level by 6.20pm.

No one suffered any injuries. Graham Dalley, deputy RPMRT team leader, said the family had prepared properly and had fallen foul of bad weather.

He said: “Everyone was wearing really good waterproofs and had the right equipment with them.

“The weather turned and snow and fog fell very quickly which led to them getting lost.

“It’s rare people get lost at the top, it’s normally injuries we deal with up there.

“It was worrying for them because they could not find any paths to follow down.

“There is quite a drop on one side of Pendle Hill and it was getting dark.

“They were in good form when they got down from the hill.

“Apart from feeling cold, they did not have any injuries.”

The RPMRT is made up of volunteers who cover more than 350 square miles through Pendle, Rossendale and parts of Greater Manchester. Members work with the emergency services and are called out through the 999 system.

Mr Dalley said: “The group did nothing wrong in this situation. The best advice would be to wear the right clothing, know where you are at all times and remember where you have come from. In this case, it was best for the group to stay still because we could find them.”