Married couple rescued from Mount Errigal on New Year's Day

A woman was taken by stretcher down the mountain by rescue teams

A married couple have been rescued from Mount Errigal in County Donegal after getting into difficulty on New Year's Day.

Both suffered mild hypothermia, with the woman also sustaining a leg injury during the incident in treacherous weather conditions.

The Donegal Mountain Rescue Team (DMRT) said they received a call at 14:57 local time on Monday about two distressed climbers and immediately responded.

A total of 25 people were involved in the rescue mission.

Mt Errigal stands at 751m in County Donegal

Laura McFadden, from DMRT, said the rescue had taken place in some of the worst conditions they had encountered for a long time.

"They were a couple who had gone up Errigal, just for a New Year's Day hike," she said.

"They were very well equipped. They had all the correct gear, all the correct clothing.

"They had food and water and everything with them. They were very much well prepared for the hike.

"On their way down, the lady just lost her footing and went over her ankle.

"It was very treacherous. Where the casualty was actually located was quite a big patch of snow and by the time we were actually starting our descent, the snow and the sleet were quite heavy.

"The wind was gale force and visibility was almost zero so it really was treacherous conditions at that stage."

With their rescue helicopter unavailable, Ms McFadden said the team had to carry the casualty off the mountain on a stretcher.

After being joined by members of the Irish Coast Guard, the rescue team successfully transported the woman to a waiting ambulance.

"They did everything right and just sometimes, these things happen," Ms McFadden added.

The DMRT thanked colleagues at the Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána (Irish police), the Irish Coastguard and the Malin Head Coastguard Station for their support in the operation.

A total of 25 people were involved in the rescue mission.