Snowdon. Photo: Steve Cadman

Snowdon. Photo: Steve Cadman

Mountain rescuers have found the body of a man on Snowdon at the same spot as two brothers died last week.

Members of the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team had been called out to help a party of four walkers on the Clogwyn Coch when they came across the dead man. He was not a member of the walking party and it is not known how long his body had lain on the mountain.

Two men from the party had fallen from the Llanberis path sliding down the slope at the notorious blackspot and then tumbling over the crags below.

One man managed to cling to a ledge and was rescued unharmed, but the other walker fell 200m (656ft) and suffered serious injuries. He was airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor by RAF search-and-rescue helicopter, which also took the remaining three walkers – one woman and two men – off the mountain.

The gruesome discovery of the body was made about 4.45pm today during the operation to rescue the party of four. Last Sunday, brothers James and Christopher McCallion, 35 and 29 respectively, were reported missing while on a training weekend for an endurance event. Their bodies were found at the foot of crags on Clogwyn Coch.

A series of mountain rescues this weekend prompted police to issue an appeal to walkers to avoid the mountains unless they were experienced and skilled in winter mountaineering.

A spokesperson said: “North Wales Police and the mountain rescue team are advising only experienced climbers and walkers with axes and crampons, and knowledge of their correct use, to contemplate scaling mountain ranges in the current weather conditions.

“They are also appealing to members of walking groups to make arrangements with friends and family to ensure that if they are missing for any period of time, the police or mountain rescue team should be informed as soon as possible.

“Walkers should also ensure that they have a mobile phone on their person, and that they tell their contacts their planned route and which vehicles they would have access to during this time.”

The warning came after a torrid day for rescuers on Snowdonia’s mountains, with six separate incidents today, Saturday.

Just before the Snowdon incidents, Ogwen Mountain Rescue Team was called out after reports of a man who suffered head injuries after falling while coming down off Glyder Fach. The team walked him down the mountain and he was taken to hospital in Bangor.

At about 5.50pm, they were called to the aid of a woman in the area who had slipped and injured her ankle. She was treated at the scene then walked down from the mountain.

At 7.25pm, the Llanberis team was again called into action to search for two walkers missing from a party of nine on Snowdon. They turned up safe and well at their bunkhouse.

They were later called again to look for a walking group that was reportedly in trouble, but the call turned out to be a false alarm.

Ian Henderson of the Llanberis team said he did not believe the Snowdon walkers involved in the Clogwyn Coch incident had crampons and ice axes.

Police are continuing their inquiries into the circumstances of the man’s death on Snowdon and are trying to confrim his identity.