Walkers in 1,000ft avalanche fall on Snowdon

A walker was knocked unconscious by an avalanche which swept him and his partner 1,000ft (300m) down Snowdon.

Members of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team found them both close to the Pyg track after the alarm was raised on Saturday afternoon.

He was stretchered to Llyn Glaslyn where he was flown by RAF Valley rescue helicopter to hospital in Bangor. His girlfriend was uninjured.

The operation, involving Aberglaslyn rescue team, took around four hours.

The rescuers were told the man, 28, from Bristol, was injured after he and his girlfriend were swept 1,000ft down the mountain and left buried in 4ft of snow.

Six other people walking nearby were also carried various distances by the same avalanche.

The Llanberis rescue team already had personnel committed to an earlier incident and so called in counterparts from Aberglaslyn rescue team to help.

More than 30 rescue team members were involved.

Rescuers moved the man down the mountain to where he was airlifted

They were told the casualty had been knocked unconscious for more than 15 minutes and was complaining of a numbness to his lower back area.

He was secured to a mattress and stretcher designed to prevent movement of the spine and, due to low clouds, taken to Llyn Glaslyn, where he was met by the helicopter.

Rescuers described the operation as taking place in "full winter conditions".

They say a hiker in his 40s from Denbigh also had a lucky escape after losing his way while descending the Llanberis path in very poor visibility.

Ice axe

The man fell as much as 200ft (60m) from a ledge after wandering on to Cwm Glas walking route.

He was found by four members of the Llanberis rescue team who said the man managed to stop his slide, although he did not have an ice axe, and dial 999.

The team searched in difficult conditions for more than an hour before finding him.