Pair airlifted in mountain rescue

Rescuers say only the experienced and well equipped should tackle Snowdon

An RAF helicopter has rescued two ice climbers stranded in Snowdonia just days after police urged inexperienced walkers to stay away.

A married couple called police on their mobile phone shortly before midnight from a spot called the Devil's Kitchen.

Ogwen Valley rescue team and a helicopter from RAF Valley were called to the scene.

Inexperienced walkers were told to stay away from Snowdonia after a man died and six people were rescued in one day.

The two stranded climbers in the Devil's Kitchen were found by rescuers and were flown to safety by the RAF crew.

It was RAF Valley's 8,000th search and rescue flight.

Earlier on Tuesday, members of the Ogwen team had been flown to Ireland to take part in a search of the Wicklow Mountains near Dublin for two missing snowboarders.

On 2 February, the bodies of Christopher McCallion, 29, from Bristol, and brother James, 35, of Weston-Super-Mare were discovered at Clogwyn Coch on Snowdon after they went missing following a weekend trip.

Last Saturday, a man died and six people were rescued in Snowdonia. This prompted police and rescuers to warn inexperienced walkers to keep away from the area.