Potholer feared dead

Howard Rothwell is missing in the Three Counties cave system

A potholer is feared dead after disappearing in one of the country's most dangerous cave systems.

Howard Rothwell, 49, from Arkholme, near Carnforth, Lancashire, was exploring the Three Counties cave system on the Cumbria-North Yorkshire border on Sunday when he became separated from a friend.

The pair had entered through Bull Pot cave near Kirby Lonsdale, Cumbria but when they became separated his friend returned to the surface to get help.

A cave rescue team began searching for him on Monday but rising water levels within the system forced them to give up.

'Very experienced'

Mr Rothwell, a heating engineer, has a wife, Veronique, and two daughters.

One of his daughters, Sara, 29, told BBC Radio Cumbria he had been caving since he was 14 and was very experienced.

Mr Rothwell is an experienced caver

"He is a former member of the cave rescue organisation and has been caving all over Europe," she said.

She said he was a wonderful father, husband and friend, who was well loved by everyone who knew him and she said the family was devasted by his apparent loss.

Steve Finch, duty controller for the Cave Rescue Organisation in Clapham, North Yorkshire, said a fresh search would begin on Saturday.

Mr Finch said it was one of the most dangerous cave systems in Britain.

"It is many miles of cave system and it's dangerous because of the sheer amount of water that goes through it," he said.