Letter: Should the taxpayer bear the expense of saving adventurous souls?

Sir: I was impressed once again by the magnificent efforts of the mountain rescue services that discovered Jacqueline Greaves after her 40-hour ordeal on the Cairngorm mountains (report, 16 February). However, I wonder if there is a simple way of reducing the risk and cost of searches in such severe weather conditions.

These days it is possible to trace stolen cars by radar and to phone your friends from high remote areas, as I saw when fell-walking recently. Is it not possible for climbers and walkers to purchase modestly priced, lightweight, powerful radio-homing devices that may guide rescue teams to them in the case of emergencies?

Yours faithfully,

DAVID LEE

Middleton,

Warwickshire

16 February