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'Selfish' trio overturn kayak sparking huge search

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team Keswick Mountain Rescue Team members, all wearing red emergency clothing, prepare to send off a rib boat into Thirlmere. There are two rescuers wearing red diving suits and it is pitch black and late at night. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team
A huge emergency response involved teams from Cumbria Fire Service and a helicopter flying from Wales

A kayak which was pushed into a lake by "selfish" youths sparked a huge emergency response involving a helicopter flying from Wales, police have said.

Keswick Mountain Rescue Team (KMRT) said it deployed search teams to Thirlmere in the Lake District after reports of an overturned vessel, with the potential for people in the water, near the dam late on Friday evening.

Cumbria Fire Service sent a boat onto the reservoir, while a HM Coastguard Helicopter flew in from Caernarfon, North Wales, to help with the search.

Cumbria Police said three people aged in their 20s pushed the canoe and "shockingly decided to lie to officers", with all services "saddened by the selfish actions".

KMRT said it had thoroughly searched the shore for about three hours from the Armboth area to Thirlmere dam before standing down.

Cumbria Police said it was "dealing with the individuals" and any criminal proceedings would follow.

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