An RAF Sea King helicopter rescued the climbers after their fall

Two climbers were airlifted from a site in the southern Brecon Beacons after injuring themselves in a fall.

The pair were tackling an ice climb at Torpentau Waterfalls north of Merthyr Tydfil when the incident happened this afternoon.

Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team was alerted to the climbers’ plight at about 4.30pm and called on neighbouring teams Brecon MRT, Longtown MRT and Western Beacons Mountain Search and Rescue Team to help in the rescue.

An RAF Sea King helicopter from RMB Chivenor near Barnstaple, Devon, was also requested, but the rescuers believed it would be unable to fly due to low cloud.

However, a spokesperson for the Central Beacons MRT said: “They appeared and winched the two climbers aboard and transported them to Cardiff accident and emergency, saving the rescue teams several hours hard work hiking in and carrying out the casualties who were an hour or so hike from the nearest usable road.”

The climbers were on the frozen falls of the Blaen Caerfanell, below the summit plateau of Craig y Fan Ddu. The falls have ice climbs up to grade III.