A lost backpack caused a three team search of the area around St Bees Lighthouse before the owner contacted Whitehaven Coastguard.

Whitehaven Coastguard were called out to St. Bees Lighthouse on May 7, following the discovery of a backpack on the cliff path close to the cliff edge.

A hasty search of the area was conducted along the clifftop by the Coastguard Team, while St Bees RNLI conducted a Shoreline Search.

When nothing was found during these initial efforts Maryport Lifeboat team were called in.

Due to the challenging topography of the cliffs in the area, a significant section remained inaccessible to both teams.

The Maryport Lifeboat team were called and quickly arrived on scene with their drone, this allowed these unchecked areas to be viewed from above.

After a thorough search by all three teams, they were satisfied that there was nobody in the area in difficulty, and the teams were stood down and returned to their bases, preparing for the next potential callout.

Whitehaven Coastguard then received a message from the Facebook appeal, to informing them that the owner of the bag was safe and well, and that the bag had been lost during a walk yesterday.

A spokesperson for Whitehaven Coastguard said: “This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of labelling all outdoor equipment (Bags, Kayaks, Paddelboards etc.) with at least your name and phone number.

“Such labelling enables us to quickly contact the owner, reducing the time spent searching by ourselves and other agencies.

“Thanks to all the teams involved in today’s search effort, and a special thanks to everyone who shared our appeal.”