Teenager dies climbing England's highest mountain

A teenager has died while trying to climb England's highest mountain in Cumbria.

The 19-year-old was camping with a friend at Wasdale Head near Scafell Pike when they set off at 11.30am on Friday to climb the peak.

But Cumbria Police received a call from the friend at 5.30pm later that day to report they had got lost on the mountain and his friend was now missing.

The victim was last seen around 3pm near the 978 metre (3,208 ft) summit, when the two climbers became separated in the snowy conditions.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team mounted a search for the missing man after the report came in on Friday but were forced to call off the hunt due to the weather conditions.

The search was resumed yesterday with the help of a Royal Navy helicopter and at 11.45am a body was found, Cumbria Police said.

The body was taken to Wasdale Head and identified as the missing 19-year-old climber, who is not from Cumbria.

Cumbria Police said the victim will not be named until his next of kin has been told of his death.

They are not treating the death as suspicious.

PA