
Five cavers were rescued from a Yorkshire Dales pothole after being underground for 26 hours.
The five men and woman aged between 18 and 25 were reported to be overdue coming out of Providence Pot near Kettlewell, Upper Wharfedale, at about 9.30pm on Saturday.
Rescuers from Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association said the afternoon’s rain had melted snow, causing a rapid rise in stream levels.
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Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA) attended and began a search of the cave system.
at 4,25am members of the Cave Rescue Organisation were called in to help the search.
Four members of the party were located at about 6.10am and the fifth about 50 minutes later.
The party had found that their exit from the system had been blocked by floodwater.
A spokesperson for UWFRA said: “All were in reasonable condition and began a retreat from the system.
They were fed and accompanied to the surface, emerging from Providence Pot and all reaching Hag Dyke by 1pm.”
They were then assessed by paramedics from Yorkshire Ambulance Service, before being driven down to Kettlewell.
In total they had been underground for about 26 hours.