‘Wobbly knees’ walker airlifted to safety off Snowdonia mountain

Jun 24 2010 by Dan Beavan, North Wales Weekly News

Climbers rescued

A 72-YEAR-OLD walker was airlifted off a Snowdonia mountain on Sunday after being taken ill, contracting a case of “wobbly knees”.

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue were called to the Devil’s Kitchen after the man, from Kinmel Bay, collapsed unconscious.

Team spokesman Chris Lloyd said a passing doctor gave assistance until rescuers arrived.

A helicopter was called in and airlifted the man to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.

On Saturday the team helped a 29-year-old man from Leeds who was on a charity walk on the Carneddau.

Mr Lloyd said: “A team of walkers from Yorkshire was undertaking a three peaks challenge walking up Snowdon, Glydwr Fawr and Carnedd Llewellyn.

“They had set off up Snowdon at 5am but at about 6.30pm the man appears to have got a case of the wobbly knees. Neither the RAF or the air ambulance was available but fortunately the police helicopter was.”

RNLI saves wader

A LIFEBOAT crew rescued a man threatening to harm himself off Rhos on Sea late last Wednesday evening.

The Llandudno inshore lifeboat was launched after passers-by spotted the man wading into the sea.

An RNLI spokesman said the crew spent some time chatting with him to persuade him to return to the shore.

He added: “A fourth RNLI crewman then waded out and he and his colleagues managed to grab hold of the man to land the man on the beach. He was then handed over to waiting ambulance crew.”

The lifeboat returned to base at 2.30am.