The response in the comments section made for rather red-faced reading.

Geoff Batemen wrote: “Putting other people’s lives at risk because of their own stupid behaviour, should be made to do community service,” and Ray Heddle wrote: “Why don’t we Bill these irresponsible people?”

Philip Turner commented: “How stoned do you have to be to get lost? I’d take a stab in the dark and say these people were going to need help with or without taking a few tokes from puff the magic dragon.”

They summed up the opinion of a lot of the commenters. Many, however, also thought it was irresponsible of the police force to post such an update, and that it could possibly discourage people from asking for help in the future.

Geoff Hampson wrote: “When young people drink too much, pass out and need a first responder – shall they not bother to come out to them? If you crash your car driving 10 miles over speed limit, shall the emergency services not bother to come to your help? Agreed they were daft – but the amount of daft people out walking who are overweight, under dressed, unable to read a map and put the emergency services at risk all the time is enormous – should mountain rescue start picking and choosing who they rescue based on their moral and ethical judgments? Just because people make different mistakes doesn’t make them evil or worth leaving for dead on a mountain in Cumbria in 2017…”

Anthony Moore said: “I think ridiculing people for asking for help is a disgraceful thing for a police force to do. Most adults become intoxicated in one form or another, asking for help in situations like these should never be discouraged or humiliated. Horrendous craic on your part, Cumbria Police.”

And Jake Owens: “Unprofessional of the police force. Never see them bang up a status about all the damage and costs that alcohol abuse does on a weekend. Fair play, the swines should have to pay, or their parents at least, but get the priorities straight. And for all the melts who are saying leave them up there, it would be different if it was a member of your family, you’d be the first person on a phone to the emergency services demanding they help your loved one. “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” and all that.”

Chris McKay responded with the comment: “Some people are missing the point of the Police making such a post. Yes there are countless drug & alcohol related incidents in every town & city every day nationwide that are a drain on Police & NHS resources, but the main issue is the mountains are not the place to be whilst under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Even the the most experienced & best prepared walker/climber can get caught out by the weather, have an accident or become ill, these things happen but being drunk or drugged up on a mountain is a special level of stupidity.”

Meanwhile Stefan Ellis saw the funnier side of things, writing: “Seems that getting “high” when you’re already high…Is not a good idea.”

Agnes Green, however, perhaps summed up the moral of the story best, when she posted the short and sweet comment: “Why is the world full of idiots?”

We’re not sure Agnes, but we’ll let you know if we ever find out.