Michael Todd, the Chief Constable of Manchester, was found dead on a mountain with a nearly empty bottle of gin beside him.

The Times has learnt that rescuers were searching for over 12 hours in completely the wrong area for the officer.

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team received a call from North Wales police at 1am on Tuesday to say that they were concerned about Mr Todd’s well being.

A cell site analysis was carried out on his mobile telephone and the full rescue service was directed to the Menai Straits and a small town called Port Dinorwic.

But the technical information was wrong and the area is about 10 miles from where Mr Todd was eventually found on the summit of Bwich Glas in Snowdon.

The coast guard, search and rescue dogs and the North Wales police helicopter fruitlessly searched for Mr Todd until about 1.30pm when walkers found “personal items” that were identified as belonging to Mr Todd.

A policeman and members of the mountain rescue team were helicoptered to the area and found his body lying in the snow. A bottle of gin, with about a third left, was found next to him. Mr Todd’s coat was missing and it is being searched for today.

It is not known if Mr Todd could have been saved if he had been found sooner.

The body was found within 100 metres of the summit of Bwich Glas in Snowdon where it was possible for him to get a signal on his mobile telephone, which will be checked to see if he made or recieved any calls while on the mountain.

Mr Todd had left his home on Monday for his mountain walk fully prepared for a change in the weather.

His backpack contained a change of clothing in case he got wet or the weather got worse.

He had parked close to the bottom of one of the tourist paths, about a two and a half hour walk from where he was found. The vehicle was taken away unopened yesterday to be examined.

Video and pictures of the scene where Mr Todd were found, lying in the snow on a slope, will be examined by the coroners office and those involved in the recovery of his body were giving statements.

Ian Henderson, Secretary of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, said that Mr Todd was found near to the Snowdon mountain railway.

He said: “There were no obvious signs of death. If he was out overnight it would have been very cold. He was dressed appropriately and was carrying a rucksack that contained spare clothing in case the weather changed.

“It is good mountain practice to be properly equipped.

“He also had a mobile telephone and it is possible to get a reception where he was found although it is not great.”

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