The incident happened near Pontardawe. Photo: Aaron Jones CC-BY-SA-2.0

A search for an injured walker was called off after his relatives rang to say he had managed to reach home some time earlier.

Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team was called out shortly before 7pm on Tuesday when South Wales Police contacted them to say the elderly man had phoned for help.

The man rang police to say he had fallen and injured his leg while walking near Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley. Rescuers said poor mobile reception at the walker’s location meant it was impossible to get much more information from him or attempt to get a position fix.

A team spokesperson said: “Using local knowledge of walking areas and patterns, team members were deployed on the ground to sweep through areas while the police helicopter flew overhead and other police assets, including search dogs, where also employed together with the Hazardous Area Response Team.

“A little after 10pm a relative of the missing person contacted police to inform them that the gentleman had managed to walk back to his home address some time earlier.

“Following a police check to confirm that information the team was stood down.”