The family had last been seen at the summit of Scafell Pike

David and Sally Naylor and their two children, from Lynstone in Cornwall, went missing after last being seen at the summit of Scafell Pike in Cumbria.

About 40 rescue volunteers were called out and the family were escorted to safety in the early hours of Tuesday.

The search, in darkness, strong winds and driving rain, took over ten hours.

Conditions on the mountain were severe with low cloud, visibility down to 30ft, strong winds and driving rain Richard Warren, Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team

Dog handlers were also called out to join the operation.

The toddler, aged five, had to be stretchered off the mountain because he was too tired to walk, 15 hours after the family first set off.

Although well-equipped, rescue workers said the family had set off too late in the day and became trapped as night fell.

'Relatively experienced'

They took a wrong turn on the way down from the summit, and were found wet, cold and exhausted at Piers Gill, a gully near the summit, at 0330 GMT on Tuesday.

Another fell walker, who had spoken to the family earlier on Monday, raised the alarm when he spotted their car had not moved after sunset.

Richard Warren, chairman of Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team, said: "Conditions on the mountain were severe with low cloud, visibility down to 30ft, strong winds and driving rain.

"They were a relatively experienced family of walkers, well-equipped.

"But they set off too late in the day because they left at midday - not enough time to get up and down by nightfall."

Duddon, Furness, and Keswick mountain rescue teams were also involved in the operation.