Abergavenny-based Longtown Mountain Rescue headed a dramatic rescue in the Black Mountains on Friday when an injured woman had to be winched out of a ravine.

The woman, in her 50s, was part of an organised walk when she slipped and suffered a suspected broken ankle in the mountains east of Talgarth. Walk leaders raised the alarm and Dyfed Powys Police called in Longtown Mountain Rescue Team at 12.30pm.

Three of the team’s members were already on the mountain, leading another party of walkers, so two were able to go to her immediate aid, while the other stayed with their walking party.

They were joined by other LMRT members and the woman, understood to be from Northamptonshire, was given pain relief and shelter.

The team called in the Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter, from RAF St Athan.

However the woman was stranded at 550 metres in a narrow ravine on Rhiw y Fan, which made any rescue attempt difficult.

Mark Nicholls, from Longtown MRT, said, “The woman was lying in a ravine next to a waterfall and coupled with ice, snow and gusty winds it meant that the helicopter crew weren’t sure whether they would be able to reach her.

“The helicopter landed nearby and one of the crew members then climbed up to her and the decision was made to winch her out.

“It was a difficult manoeuvre and the pilot showed great skill to winch her safely up. It would have been a long carry off without them.”

She was taken to hospital while the party members who had remained with her were walked off the mountain by LMRT members.

The team was called out again on Sunday morning when a member of a stag party went missing overnight.

The team joined officers from Dyfed Powys Police and the police helicopter to comb countryside around Pengenffordd.

As more reinforcements arrived the missing man turned up at the scene. He’d got lost, walked to Talgarth, where he’d spent the night under shelter. When he woke on Sunday morning he’d managed to get a lift back to his accommodation.

Luke Lewis, team leader of Longtown MRT, said, “He was very embarrassed but as far as we were concerned all that mattered was that he was safe and well.”