Warning after series of walkers injured at waterfall
A repeated warning has been sounded to be prepared when trekking up a mountain after a rescue helicopter was called out for a sixth time in six months to help an injured rambler.
Six rescue helicopters and 12 land ambulances have been sent out to the Llanrhaeadr Waterfall area in the last six months, to rescue people who have gone walking in the Berwyn Mountains, and got into difficulty.
In December a woman faced a six-hour wait after injuring her ankle, and in the latest incident on Sunday after a woman suffered a broken ankle shortly after midday.
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A Wales Ambulance Service crew was sent to the scene, and the woman was airlifted off the mountain by a search and rescue helicopter.
Phil Facey, who runs the Waterfall Tea Rooms, is the first port of call for many of the incidents on the mountains, and has again made repeated calls for walkers to be prepared.
He said problems can arise on the mountains, and he is seeing an increase in walkers coming ill prepared in the event of an incident.
He said: "The one before Christmas saw a woman up there for six hours before she could be attended to.
"The numbers have risen of people coming up here, by about 50 per cent, which is great.
"But they are not prepared in the slightest in the event of an emergency.
"They need to have warm clothes and supplies in case something does happen, but they don't.
"We have had six helicopters up here rescuing people, and 12 land ambulances in the last six months, which shows how people are not prepared for what is happening."
A number of people have got into difficulty on the mountains and near the waterfall, which is a difficult place for emergency services to access.
The one lane road up to the waterfall poses problems for emergency services getting to a patient in a quick time.
Mr Facey believes if people come prepared, it will reduce the problems emergency services face.
He added: "I just want to appeal to people to come prepared in case of an emergency, to prevents like this happening.
"And if something does happen, they will be equipped with the tools to stay safe until emergency services arrive."
It comes just days after three men from Telford were rescued from a mountain in Snowdonia after an eight-hour ordeal.
A mountain rescue team was scrambled to get the trio when they called for help after getting into difficulty.
During the rescue one of the mountain team fell and his helmet was shattered.
