A MAJOR moorland search involving the police helicopter, mountain rescuers and police was sparked by a prank, it has been revealed.

The moors around Bull Hill, near Helmshore, Rossendale, were combed for several hours after a parachute-type red distress flare was spotted in the night sky by an off-duty policeman at around 8.15pm on Saturday.

The force helicopter together with local officers and 17 members of the Rossendale Search and Rescue team were called out.

While the search was under way, two more flares were sent off.

Dave Barrington, team leader of the search team, said: "It is something like this that puts other people's lives at risk. We will always turn out in situations like this but crying wolf is always a dangerous prank."

Inspector Steve Baines said: "The mountain rescue team was able to use triangulation methods to pinpoint where they had gone up.

"It seems they were sent up from a built-up area of Ramsbottom. On that basis, the decision was made that no-one was on the moor and the search was called off.

"No-one has been reported missing.

He added: "When something like that goes up, the alarm bells ring and we have to take it very seriously.

"We were up on the moor for about three hours.

"It's a waste of our time and the mountain rescue team's time when this happens.

"No-one should be sending distress flares up unless there is a real emergency."

Insp Baines said it was unusual for members of the public to have flares unless they were sailors or experienced fell walkers or climbers.

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