An operation involving 40 north Wales rescuers yesterday had a happy outcome.

Members of the Ogwen Valley and Llanberis Mountain Rescue teams spent 2½ hours searching for a 66-year-old man who had become separated from his walking partners.

He was found near the Twll Du or Devil’s Kitchen, between Y Garn and Glyder Fawr, overlooking the Ogwen Valley. Four dogs from the Search and Rescue Dogs Association were used, some of whom were taken, with their handlers, by RAF helicopter up the mountain.

The walker was found about 9pm after rescuers heard his shouts. He was about 760m (2,500ft) up the mountainside, below the summit of Y Garn. He had no torch, compass, map or whistle. Neither did he have a mobile phone.

Two younger walking companions had gone ahead of the unnamed man, up to the summit of Y Garn and passed him on their descent, while he was still making his way up the 947m (3,107ft) peak.

He became benighted after cloud descended and the other two members of the party then raised the alarm when he failed to return to their vehicle.

A spokesman for the rescuers said he was not equipped for a night in freezing temperatures on the Welsh 3,000-footer. He also said rescuers would have been able to find the walker more easily if he had had a torch which they could have seen.

A spokesman for the Llanberis team urged walkers and mountaineers to stay together when in groups, and not leave any one member alone.