Ten youngsters and adults, aged between 11 and 24, were picked up by an RAF helicopter after mountain rescue volunteers were called out on Saturday night.

They had intended to spend the night in a cave on the 2,000-foot Dove Crag, but became trapped in heavy snow and gales.

The Patterdale and Langdale mountain rescue teams plucked them to safety after being alerted by a member of the public who saw them up there.

Police are questioning the leaders of the group to ensure safety procedures were adhered to.

The group, from the Southport area in Merseyside, had been planning to spend Saturday night in Priest's Hole in the Fairfield Horseshoe, but the weather became too bad.

Rescuers said they believed that party would not have survived the night if they had not been taken to safety.

All their campsite was in carnage and they were just huddled together Langdale Ambleside team leader, Nick Verral

But a spokesman for the Scout Association said the five leaders and junior leaders, and five scouts, had followed the correct procedures in planning the expedition and deciding to go ahead.

The weather forecast for the area issued by the Met Office, warned of gales and snow on Saturday night.

The association spokesman said the risk was reassessed part way through the expedition, and it was decided not to spend the night out.

The leader of the Langdale Ambleside team, Nick Verral, said when they found the group the situation was dangerous.

He said: "I doubt whether they would have lasted the night.

'Incredibly dangerous'

"They had already been there five hours once we had got to them.

"All their campsite was in carnage and they were just huddled together."

Inspector Paul Kisack, of Cumbria Police, said : "It was an incredibly dangerous time to be in the mountains, especially with the weather the way it was.

"These mountains can be very dangerous, especially for young children.

"None of the group needed hospital treatment, but they were lucky.

"We will want to know that they properly checked the weather forecasts and had the right equipment."

Two members of the group needed treatment for mild hypothermia.

The Scout Association spokesman added that after all such incidents it investigated to gauge whether lessons could be learned.