Glyder Fach, scene of the rescue. Photo: Mike White CC-BY-SA-2.0

A group of servicemen had to be led to safety on a Snowdonia mountain after their leader fell and injured himself.

The four were descending the main cliff of Glyder Fach when the leader fell about 20m (66ft) at the lower end of Main Gully.

Three novice walkers with him on the two-day expedition became cragfast above the man who had fallen.

The party had missed the easy walk off and ended up climbing down Alphabet Slabs.

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation was called out at 11.45am yesterday and requested help from a Sea King search and rescue helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey.

The helicopter winchman plucked one of the men, who was in a precarious position, from the rockface and lowered him to where the injured leader was.

The other two group members were also lowered to the same position and the helicopter then winched the leader, who had chest injuries, into the aircraft and flew him to hospital.

Members of the Ogwen Valley team, who made their way to the scene on foot, then led the three men to safety.

Chris Lloyd of Ogwen Valley MRO said: “All four members of the party were very well equipped for this day’s training.

“It was an unfortunate accident in this loose gully.”

The rescue involved 11 volunteer mountain rescue team members.