The Coastguard winchman is lowered into the gorge. Image: MCA

An injured Brecon Beacons gorge walker was winched to safety after members of the public guided a rescue helicopter to the scene by using their mobile phone camera flashes.

The St Athan Coastguard helicopter was scrambled on Sunday afternoon to the site near Sgwd Gwladus waterfall north of Pontneddfechan.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the complex rescue involved the winchman being lowered more than 200ft into the heavily wooded ravine.

The Coastguard was alerted to the incident by Dyfed Powys Police about 12.50pm after the main fell 20ft from a waterfall into shallow water, suffering a serious leg injury.

Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team and Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team were also called out, and a hazardous area response team also went to the scene.

A Coastguard spokesperson said: “The winchman paramedic was lowered down to the casualty from 220ft using the aircraft hoist.

“The injured man, who had sustained a serious leg injury, was then treated on scene and placed on to the stretcher, before being recovered via another high winch.

“The casualty was flown to Swansea Hospital where we wish him a speedy recovery.”