Missing teenagers found safe and well

SIX teenagers reported missing while on a Duke of Edinburgh award scheme expedition were found safe and well yesterday.

An air and land search was launched for the group of four girls and two boys, aged between 16 and 17, after they failed to turn up at a base camp in Kinloch-leven on Sunday night.

They were found last night by mountain rescue team members.

The youngsters from England, who were well equipped, had been taking part in an expedition to gain their Duke of Edinburgh gold award at the week-end.

They had been dropped off at the remote Corrour railway station on Saturday and their two leaders went on ahead to the end of their route at Kinlochleven.

The party had been due to stay overnight at a bothy at the halfway point, and then rendezvous with the leaders on Sunday night.

However, the teenagers failed to turn up, and the leaders waited until Monday morning before reporting them overdue.

Glencoe and Lochaber Mounain Rescue teams were alerted and carried out a search from Kinlochleven into Glen Nevis and beyond to the Corrour estate. They were assisted by estate keepers and a rescue helicopter from Prestwick.

John Stevenson, the leader of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, said: "There had been a lot of rain, which can make crossing the rivers very difficult.

"They were a few miles away from where they were hoping to make last night.

"It was our colleagues at Glencoe that found them safe and well."

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said it was possible the youngsters had been unable to get a mobile phone signal in the mountains.