MOUNTAIN rescuers in Mid Wales were called to bring an injured woman down from Cader Idris in a seven-hour operation on Saturday.

The rescued woman, in her 40s from Anglesey and with her partner, had a head injury after slipping and banging it while climbing, and both were described as 'cold and anxious'.

Aberdyfi Search and Rescue team were alerted to the incident around 1pm on Saturday, and started the one-hour walk up the mountain immediately, with helicopter support that had to ultimately turn back because of poor weather.

A spokesman for the search and rescue team said: "Shortly after 1pm, call handlers from the team were made aware of walker with a head injury on Cader Idris.

"The woman, in her 40's and from Anglesey, had slipped and hit her head whilst crossing the summit plateau between the Pen y Gader and Mynydd Moel peaks.

"She was bleeding profusely, and both the casualty and her partner were anxious, cold and wet.

"Team volunteers were dispatched up the mountain with equipment to perform a rescue, but given that it would take more than an hour to reach the position of the injured woman, a parallel request was placed for air support from the Coastguard Helicopter Rescue936.

"The aircraft took off to support the rescue, but was unfortunately forced to turn back by poor weather that had shrouded the mountains in cloud.

"Having reached the injured woman on foot, team casualty-carers determined that she was unable to walk off the mountain.

"She was placed in a casualty bag on a stretcher to try and keep her warm, as the team prepared for the prolonged and very difficult stretcher-carry down to Minffordd.

"As the stretcher party started to descend the main slope of Mynydd Moel, there was a hint of slightly improving weather conditions, and once again helicopter assistance was requested.

"This time the aircraft was able to reach the mountain, but the cloud base meant that it could not quite reach the stretcher party.

"The crew landed the aircraft nearby, giving rescuers the chance to move a little further down the mountain, before they took off and winched the casualty aboard.

"The injured woman was flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd for further assessment and treatment."