Mobile saves lost Daniel

Daniel Crompton dialled 999 and police used the phone's signal to guide a rescue helicopter to his position on rugged moorland above Rivington and Anglezarke.

Daniel had been with four other pupils and a teacher from St Joseph's School, Horwich, when he ran off after a row with a classmate.

Lost, cold and alone he called for help after three hours of wandering the hills. The helicopter crew found Daniel distressed but unhurt.

Today his relieved mother Jeanette Riley confessed: "Mobile phones can be a pain in the neck, but Daniel's probably saved his life.

"I was so pleased and thankful to see him safe and well and gave him a big hug."

Daniel, from Halliwell, stormed off from the group after the row an hour into the ramble at 3pm on Monday. After returning to a mini-bus, he found the teacher overseeing the exercise had left to look for him and walked off again.

But he then lost his way on the mist shrouded moorland and spent the next three hours searching for the school group as daylight faded.

Lost and distressed, Daniel dialled 999 on his phone and Lancashire Police scrambled a helicopter. They used a transmitter mast relaying his phone signal to pinpoint his exact position and Daniel kept up a conversation until officers tracked him down safe and well at 6pm.

Daniel said: "I was scared that it would get too dark for anyone to find me and I was getting really cold because I only had normal clothes on.

"The police told me to get behind a wall to keep out of the wind and I was relieved when I heard the helicopter coming.

"They gave me a blanket and cup of tea to keep warm. I want to say sorry to the teacher."

Mrs Riley said: "I was terrified. I phoned Daniel when he didn't come home and found out where he was. I phoned the police straight away and they told me to call Daniel and tell him to ring them on his mobile so they could use it to track him.

"I knew by then that his teacher had been back up there to look for him but no-one could find him and it was getting late."

Daniel was found in Leadmine Valley, a deep gorge popular with ramblers. He was taken to a waiting ambulance and rushed to Chorley Hospital for a check up. Daniel was reunited with his family at around 7.30pm.

Mrs Riley added: "Sometimes he loses his temper and storms off but hopefully now he's learned that it can soon land him in serious trouble.

"At first I was a bit angry that the teacher had left him up there but obviously he had to get other pupils back to the school and then he went back up there."

Praising his actions, a Lancashire Police spokesman said: "He had the presence of mind to use his mobile phone open and keep the line open. Moorland can be dangerous and this incident should serve as a warning to others."

The airborne search and rescue cost around £1,000.

Horwich, when he ran off after a row with a classmate.

Lost, cold and alone he called for help after three hours of wandering the hills. The helicopter crew found Daniel distressed but unhurt.

Today his relieved mother Jeanette Riley confessed: "Mobile phones can be a pain in the neck, but Daniel's probably saved his life.

"I was so pleased and thankful to see him safe and well and gave him a big hug."

Daniel, from Halliwell, stormed off from the group after the row an hour into the ramble at 3pm on Monday. After returning to a mini-bus, he found the teacher overseeing the exercise had left to look for him, so Daniel walked off again.

But he then lost his way on the mist shrouded moorland and spent the next three hours searching for the school group as daylight faded.

Lost and distressed, Daniel dialled 999 on his phone and Lancashire Police scrambled a helicopter. They used a transmitter mast relaying his phone signal to pinpoint his exact position and Daniel kept up a conversation until officers tracked him down safe and well at 6pm.

Daniel said: "I was scared that it would get too dark for anyone to find me and I was getting really cold because I only had normal clothes on.

"The police told me to get behind a wall to keep out of the wind and I was relieved when I heard the helicopter coming.

"They gave me a blanket and cup of tea to keep warm. I want to say sorry to the teacher."

Mrs Riley said: "I was terrified. I phoned Daniel when he didn't come home and found out where he was. I phoned the police straight away and they told me to call Daniel and tell him to ring them on his mobile so they could use it to track him.

"I knew by then that his teacher had been back up there to look for him but no-one could find him and it was getting late."

Daniel was found in Leadmine Valley, a deep gorge popular with ramblers. He was taken to a waiting ambulance and rushed to Chorley Hospital for a check up. Daniel was reunited with his family at around 7.30pm. Praising his actions, a Lancashire Police spokesman said: "He had the presence of mind to use his mobile phone open and keep the line open. Moorland can be dangerous and this incident should serve as a warning to others."