The scene on the River Usk near Crickhowell

A mountain rescue team turned detectives in a search for two men who crashed through a wall while riding quad bikes.

Police asked for the help of the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team in a search of the River Usk near Crickhowell after the pair went through the wall bordering the river.

The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday and Dyfed-Powys Police called in the rescue team and handlers and animals from Search and Rescue Dogs Association South Wales.

The crash followed reports of a series of burglaries at farms in the Pengenffordd area.

Mark Jones of Brecon MRT, said: “It was a tricky search because the River Usk was swollen from the heavy rain we have had over the past two days.

“Our teams searched the riverbank on foot and from kayaks.”

The search was curtailed after the team was called to join two other mountain rescue teams in helping a kayaker who suffered injuries while paddling on the Afon Mellte near Ystradfellte in the South of the Brecon Beacons national park.

The callout, attended by Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team, Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team and the Brecon team, was the fourth in the area in 10 days.

The 23-year-old had gone over the waterfalls at Sgŵd y Pannwr and landed awkwardly. His companions secured him on the riverbank and called for help.

Twenty-five members of the three teams took part in the three-hour operation to help the paddler. He was immobilised in a vacuum mattress and stretchered up a steep, slippery embankment and taken to a clearing in the woods where an RAF Sea King helicopter from RMB Chivenor in Devon winched him aboard and flew him to Heath hospital in Cardiff.

Huw Jones of Central Beacons MRT said: “We’re going through a very busy time at the moment of being called to rescue people from the area. It’s a beautiful place and it’s there to be enjoyed.

“Now the afternoons are being cut shorter by darkness I’d encourage everyone using the outdoors to be as careful and as well equipped as possible.”

The Brecon team also appealed to walkers to go properly equipped after two callouts during the half-term holiday.

On Wednesday night, they were involved in a search for a family of four who had failed to return home after a day’s walk in the central Brecon Beacons. They were found by rescuers, tired and cold but needing no further treatment.

And on Saturday evening a man and his 18-year-old son from London became lost while walking above the waterfalls at Talybont-on-Usk.

Although the man was lost, he was able to give a longitude and latitude reference to rescuers from his mobile phone.

Rescuers battled torrential rain and high winds to reach the pair and brought them down the mountain. They were then given hot drinks and were checked over by medics.

Mark Jones, from Brecon MRT, said: “If the gentleman hadn’t had a GPS phone then it would have been a very difficult search as they didn’t know where they were.

“Because the Brecon Beacons is one Britain’s lowest mountain ranges, it’s very easy to under estimate how tough they can be.

“The Army trains here for a reason. They are mountains and conditions can change very quickly.

“Now that the clocks have gone back and the days are shorter, we would like to remind people to take extra precautions so they are not caught out by failing light.

“Anyone out walking in these upland areas should always have a map, compass and working torch and know how to use them.”

• Update: Two men are being questioned by police following the Crickhowell incident.

Dyfed-Powys Police said an 18-year-old and a 22-year-old were arrested in connection with quad bike thefts.

Inspector Mark Davies said: “During the early hours of Sunday, a member of the public has seen two quad bikes travelling behind another vehicle with no lights or helmets being used.

“They have become suspicious and called us. A police patrol located these vehicles, but did not pursue because of safety concerns.

“A short while later the patrol car again found the two quad bikes abandoned, one having crashed into a wall.

“Another patrol car has then seen the other vehicle which also crashed following a brief pursuit by officers. The driver and a passenger have made off on foot, but the 22-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of theft.

“We have since arrested another 18 year old man on suspicion of theft. We are also appealing for any information on two other youths who we believe were involved in these thefts, aged between 16 and 19 years of age.

“A search using specialist teams and the force’s helicopter was also undertaken as the vehicle crashed close to the River Usk but no one was found.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police at Brecon police station on 101.”

The 101 number only works for calls within Wales.