IT seems obvious, but we report this week the comments of one of our search and rescue teams, welcoming the use of mobile phones in emergency situations.

We do so only because the use of mobiles has become an issue in the Lake District where search and rescue teams have seen a large increase in call-outs to emergencies on the fells. They believe that many of these call-outs are inappropriate and result from walkers and climbers taking the opportunity to call for help at the slightest sign of trouble. It's just too easy in the age of digital communications to dial for assistance. Self-reliance appears to be on the wane.

Incredibly, one team says it has had calls from walkers wanting a helicopter to collect them because they were late for a dinner date and, perhaps truly unbelievably, another call was allegedly made by a walker wanting a clean pair of socks. We say allegedly because some of these stories may have been embroidered by hardy rescue types getting increasingly fed-up with some of the demands made upon them.

Perhaps the Lake District has a greater number of idiots who take to the hills without adequate preparation and knowledge. On our hills, where reception allows, the mobile phone is considered a Godsend for rescue teams trying to locate missing people and to call-in additional help when needed.

And surely, these are the sorts of situations where mobile phones are worth their weight in gold and not the damnation that many people feel they are at times.

Perhaps the Lake District rescue teams should accept the benefits of technology and take a firmer line with ridiculous call-outs. They could always say "No".