TWENTY-SIX mountain rescuers mounted a search for a woman who stormed off from her family in the Kentmere valley - following a row about footpath restrictions.

Police called Kendal Mountain Rescue team to the valley on Sunday evening to search for the lone walker - a woman aged 43 from the Blackburn area, whose name has not been released.

She had separated from her husband and children following a disagreement as to whether the footpaths in the Kentmere valley were closed due to foot-and-mouth restrictions, and went walking alone.

The rescue team found her "fairly quickly," close to Hartrigg Farm, and she was reunited with her family at the team's base at Busher Walk, Kendal.

Team leader Andy Dell explained that the team's own thorough measures against foot-and-mouth were used on entering

and leaving the valley, including disinfecting and power-washing of boots and vehicles.

Emphasising the importance of good relationships between mountain rescue teams and residents, he said Kentmere residents were told about the search, and were on standby to re-man their own disinfectant station if the situation had escalated into a major search.

Mr Dell stressed that the Kentmere valley remains closed to walkers and climbers, and is not one of the current approved access points to the high fells.

The woman is not to be prosecuted.