A WALKER feared for his life as he spent two nights in freezing blizzard conditions after getting lost on the Pennine Way.

Tom Miles, from London, sheltered in a grouse-shooting butt to protect himself from the weather, but said he thought he may never see his wife of two months again.

He was found yesterday morning after losing his way on a 12-and-a-half-mile walk from Langdon Beck, in Teesdale, to Dufton, in Cumbria.

The 32-year-old left the Langdon Beck Hotel at 8.30am on Sunday, but by 11am the weather had deteriorated.

“The wind got up, it started snowing and visibility went down to about 50 metres,” said Mr Miles.

“I knew I had to seek shelter and I was lucky enough to come across a shooting hut.”

Mr Miles had a tent, a mat and a sleeping bag, so was able to keep warm in the freezing temperatures.

On Monday, he tried to get a signal on his mobile phone, but with no success and he was forced to spend a second night on Dunn Fell.

“I was fairly well prepared, but you can’t help thinking about the worst case scenario,”

he said. “The worst thing was thinking what my wife was going through.”

Meanwhile his wife, Vanessa, had become worried and rang Kirkby Stephen Search and Mountain Rescue Team.

The call triggered an operation involving 55 people from five search and rescue teams, an RAF helicopter and a police helicopter.

The teams braved heavy snow, which in some areas was drifting more than 5ft high.

At one stage the RAF helicopter was forced to call off its search because of the weather.

Early yesterday morning, Mr Miles, an experienced fell walker, managed to make a from his mobile phone and was picked up by helicopter at about 9am. He was found about two miles away from his intended route.

Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue team leader David Bartles- Smith said: “The conditions up there are very, very severe at the moment. We would advise people to do all the necessary planning and gain understanding of their route.”

Mr Miles said: “To think there were rescue teams from four counties looking for me is amazing. I’m so grateful.”

■ A man was rescued eight hours after becoming lost.

Police received reports of a man missing on Great Whernside, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire, at about 1.10pm on Monday.

Following a search operation involving police and rescue organisations, the man was found on the mountainside by a police helicopter at about 9.15pm.

A spokesman said: “He was cold and was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.”