Abergavenny’s mountain rescuers were much in demand last weekend - with three emergency call-outs in 48 hours.

The first came on Friday afternoon after reports that a para glider had been seriously injured on the Dragon’s Back at Pengenffordd.

Dyfed Powys Police called out both the Longtown Mountain Rescue team, based in Abergavenny, and Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, with air support from a police helicopter and the Air Ambulance.

Fortunately the para glider’s injuries were not as serious as initially feared, but he still needed hospital treatment and was winched to safety by an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter.

In the early hours of Saturday morning the team were called out again - to search for a missing mother and her two-year-old son in the Crickhowell area.

Police had been alerted by a family member concerned for their welfare and a large scale search ensued, involving Longtown MRT, Brecon MRT, SARDA (Search and Rescue Dog Association), Dyfed Powys Police and RAF 169 Search and Rescue Helicopter.

The missing woman and toddler were found in Llangattock village at about 4am, cold but otherwise unharmed, and taken to Nevill Hall Hospital to be checked over.

On Sunday afternoon the team’s emergency pagers went off yet again when they were called to help an injured walker with leg injuries on Hay Bluff.

The team put up a shelter while the woman was treated by team medics before she was stretchered off the mountain to a waiting ambulance. She was taken to Nevill Hall Hospital for treatment.

Nigel Highfield, from Longtown MRT, said, “What’s important was that we had successful outcomes with all the call outs and demonstrated great work between all the emergency services.

“Our members are volunteers and are on call 24 hours a day seven days a week. I’d like to pay tribute to their dedication.”

The team relies almost entirely on public donations and covers an area from East Wales, through the Welsh borders and north into Herefordshire.