Cadair Idris, scene of the incident. Photo: NotFromUtrecht CC-BY-SA-3.0

A couple and their six-year-old child were rescued from a Snowdonia mountain after panicking when they strayed on to steep ground.

Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team was alerted shortly before 7.30pm on Friday when the pair reported they were lost on Cadair Idris.

They told the team they had been on the mountain since 3pm.

A team spokesperson said: “They had ascended the Pony Path and reached the summit, but with no real concept of the layout of their environment and none of the equipment needed to negotiate it, they were largely working on recommendations from passers-by.

“Ultimately they found themselves descending the scree gully adjacent to the Foxes path, a steep and loose slope, and panicked.

“They managed to get themselves down to Llyn y Gadair at the foot of the scree, but were sufficiently shaken up by their experience as to be unable to proceed from that position.”

The team used the PhoneFind smartphone system to locate the family group and a hasty party of Aberdyfi SRT volunteers made their way to them. They were given warm clothing, food and water, and the group was escorted down off the mountain via the Foxes path.

A further group of rescuers, carrying more clothing and lighting, met up with the party a little lower down the hill to help with the walk-off.

The rescue ended at 10.30pm.