The paraglider was seriously injured in the crash on Hay Bluff. Photo: Trevor Rickard CC-BY-SA-2.0

A mountain rescuer out walking on a south Wales hill was on hand to help when a paraglider was seriously injured when he crashed on the peak.

The 30-year-old from Bristol was flying with friends around Hay Bluff on Thursday when he was left stranded in the crash, 2,000ft up on the hill.

A member of the Longtown Mountain Rescue Team who was already on the hill helped two paramedics from the Wales Air Ambulance which flew to the site.

The three held the injured man to prevent him from sliding down the mountain while treating him for multiple injuries.

Longtown and Brecon Mountain Rescue Teams were also called to help in the evacuation.

The man was too badly injured to be stretchered to the waiting air ambulance and was winched aboard an RAF Sea King search and rescue helicopter, from RMB Chivenor.

He was flown to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, where his condition was later described as stable.

Neil Hughes, deputy team leader of Longtown MRT, said: “The emergency services were on the scene very quickly but the location of the crash made treating him difficult.

“We’d like to highlight the skills of the Wales Air Ambulance paramedics and the pilot and crew of RAF 169 Search and Rescue in what was a tricky rescue operation.”

Hay Bluff is a 677m (2,221ft) hill straddling the Wales-England border between Abergavenny and Hay on Wye.