All 2500 runners in Lake District race accounted for after flood

October 26, 2008 All 2,500 runners in the Lake District's Original Mountain Marathon, a fell running event, were accounted for this afternoon. As previously reported, 1,700 runners had been missing.

The police reported that all participants were located by 2:25pm GMT. The RAF was called in for helicopter rescues and retrieved five runners. Most runners sheltered overnight at sites including the Honister Slate Mine, Cockermouth Sheep and Wool Centre, Glaramar Outdoor Pursuit Centre and Cockermouth School after torrential rains flooded the Cumbria fell marathon course.

Thirteen participants were taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia and minor injuries including a woman washed into a river by the flooding who was rescued by fellow runners and a 52-year old Nottingham man who slipped and broke his leg.