Mountain rescuers on Snowdon had to cope with eight incidents within two hours as high winds caused difficulties for walkers yesterday.

Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team urged people taking to the mountains to check weather forecasts before venturing out. Monday started bright, but gales soon blew up, causing severe wind chill and creating problems for walkers caught on Wales’s highest peak.

Worst affected route was the Llanberis path, which bore the brunt of the easterly gales. Many hillwalkers retreated to the Halfway House Cafe for shelter.

The MRT was stretched as people found themselves being blown off their feet by the strong winds. A family took refuge at Clogwyn station, 779m (2,556ft) up the mountain, after their daughters, aged nine and 11, were both blown over.

A 19-year-old Coventry woman suffered a gash to her leg and a man, aged 18, sustained a sprained ankle. A woman in her thirties called for help and was aided from just below the summit after turning back in the face of the winds. A five-year-old child was evacuated from the mountain by the last train, suffering from the effects of cold.

Two parties, one on the Pyg Track and one on the Snowdon Ranger Path, were reported overdue but made their own way to safety.

Rain in the mid-afternoon added to problems for walkers.

Llanberis MRT spokesman Gwyn Roberts emphasised the need to check weather predictions. He said: “Walkers are reminded to always check weather forecasts before setting out into the hills.

“As highlighted by these events, mountain weather can change very suddenly.”

He thanked the operators of the Halfway House Cafe for providing shelter for walkers until they could be escorted off the mountain.