The Coastguard helicopter at the scene on Tryfan. Photo: OVMRO

Rescuers were called out twice in less than four hours to aid walkers stuck on the West Face of Tryfan.

The Snowdonia mountain is responsible for almost a third of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation’s callouts each year.

The team was alerted at 4.30pm on Thursday when a group of two adults and four children called for help, saying they were stuck somewhere on the West Face and did not have the confidence to climb back up on to the ridge of the 917m (3,010ft) peak.

Chris Lloyd of the team said: “Seven team members headed up the North Ridge and were guided to the casualties by a team member with binoculars parked at Idwal Cottage.

“The casualties were on steep ground above Wrinkled Slab area. They had lost confidence to climb back onto the ridge. A second party of four carrying additional ropes was deployed shortly afterwards.

“The first rescue party was able to walk down to the casualties and then walk them back up onto the ridge and off the mountain by 9.15pm.”

At 8.10pm the Ogwen Valley team received another call from a group of three women cragfast on the West Face.

Mr Lloyd said: “They were located in Y Gully by the team member at Idwal Cottage. A request had been made for the Coastguard helicopter to assist. It was returning from the Lake District.”

Four team members were airlifted and had a long winch down to the top of Brant Gully. Weather conditions improved enough for the aircraft to successfully winch all three women from the gully and deposit them with the rescuers. It then had to return to its base as it was low on fuel.

Team members and the three women returned to the A5, beside the mountain, about 11pm.

Mr Lloyd said: “Thanks to the MCA helicopter as this saved much time on an ever increasing low cloud and dark evening.”

After an average number of calls in July, Mr Lloyd said there had been a flurry of callouts this month. The day before the Tryfan incidents, the team was alerted to a group of their seven children aged between three and 19 stuck in a steep gully on the Wales Coast Path at Penmaenmawr.

The team was called out shortly after 6pm.

Mr Lloyd said: “Communications with the party were poor. Local team members were deployed to likely areas. The family was located at about 7.20pm and were escorted down the steep path.”