The rescue scene in Cwm Idwal. Photo: Ogwen Valley MRO

A climber was airlifted from a Snowdonia mountain after knocking himself out in a fall while descending from a route.

The man had completed a climb and tumbled about 6m (20ft) on Glyder Fawr while making his way down on Sunday.

He was with two companions from the London area who had gone to north Wales for a weekend rock-climbing.

Chris Lloyd of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation said the team was alerted late in the afternoon.

“The three had climbed the classic Tennis Shoe route on the Idwal Slabs and then completed the day climbing an HVS route on Continuation Wall above the Slabs,” he said.

“While walking and scrambling down the descent path, one man took a tumbling fall. He sustained serious head injuries and was knocked unconscious.

“Fortunately, one of his friends was a medical doctor and was able to give immediate assistance.

“Upon receipt of the call, the team leader requested aircraft support from the Coastguard helicopter at Caernarfon.”

The helicopter flew to the site as the rescue team’s advance party made its way up the mountain, and the Coastguard winchman was lowered to the casualty. The crew then flew more rescue team members up to Cwm Idwal to help in the operation.

Mr Lloyd said: “The casualty was loaded onto a vacuum mattress and then on to a stretcher. The aircraft returned to winch the casualty aboard for evacuation to hospital in Stoke.

“His two colleagues walked off the mountain with mountain rescue team members.”