The unco-operative sheep is brought to the surface by team members Gareth Thomas, left, and John Weale. Photo: Aberdyfi SRT

Rescuers were called to help a casualty left looking sheepish after falling down old mine workings.

Members of Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team had to rig up a technical rope rig to bring the ewe to safety from the abandoned shaft near Dylife.

The team was asked to help retrieve the stricken animal, which was spotted by passing walkers about 5m down the former lead mine near the Star Inn, in the hills south-east of Machynlleth.

Graham O’Hanlon, one of the team members involved, said though the sheep was not a significant distance down, the nature of the terrain created potentially serious hazards to the rescuers.

He said: “The ewe was sat on a small ledge under a slight overhang consisting of semi-rotten beams, rock slabs and mining spoil.

“The whole lot was potentially unstable and our technical rope rescue team had to work hard to check stability and remove hazards as they made their way down. With this in mind the set-up took plenty of preparation but the actual rescue was over in a matter of minutes.”

The rescue, which began in the late afternoon on Monday, was concluded by 9.30pm.