The walker was found near the Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor. Photo: Eric Jones CC-BY-SA-2.0

A walker was found safe and well after a major overnight search involving three mountain rescue teams, search dogs and an RAF helicopter.

The 74-year-old man from Shropshire was reported missing yesterday, Thursday, after failing to return home or make contact with his family.

Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Team was alerted just before midnight and began a search on the Nantlle Ridge in the West of the Snowdonia national park.

Gethin Edwards of the Aberglaslyn MRT said: “An initial search of the nearby car parks by police located the gentleman’s vehicle in the Rhyd-Ddu Car Park, and a request for the team’s assistance was made.”

The Aberglaslyn team requested help from the Llanberis MRT, RAF Valley MRT, members of the Search and Rescue Dogs Association Wales and the crew of RAF Valley’s Sea King helicopter, which joined the hunt for the missing man.

Officers from North Wales Police also took part in the operation.

Mr Edwards said: “Luckily the missing gentleman was located safe and well at 8 o’clock the next morning, after making a navigational error the evening before and ending up in the area of Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor.

“Fortunately, the gentleman made the wise decision to camp down for the night to avoid getting himself into further difficulties.”

The rescuers ended their operation at 8.10am today.