The woman became separated from her husband during the descent of Cadair Idris. Photo: Philip Halling CC-BY-SA-2.0

Rescuers have praised two walkers who found an elderly woman who went missing on a Snowdonia mountain.

The walker, in her 70s, had fallen into a ditch on her descent from Cadair Idris.

Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team was alerted shortly before 7pm on Friday, when the woman’s husband reported her overdue from their walk.

A team spokesperson said: “The woman became separated from her husband, both in their 70s while they were descending the Pony Path.

“The husband waited at Ty Nant, the bottom of the path, but after 1½ hours had elapsed he raised the alarm.

“North Wales Police officers and mountain rescue volunteers started co-ordinating a plan, and two passing walkers offered to keep an eye out for the woman as they made their way up the mountain to camp. The husband pointed out her last known position to the walkers and commented that she could have taken an alternative path heading down toward the youth hostel.

“Having reached their proposed campsite, the two walkers dumped their equipment and decided to check this alternative route. They fortunately located the woman in a ditch, where she had fallen and injured her ribs.

“While one of the men stayed with the injured woman, the other descended the mountain to inform rescuers, and the lady was assisted down off the mountain.”

The rescue operation ended about 8.30pm, after which the two men headed back up the mountain to their camping site.

Graham O’Hanlon of Aberdyfi SRT said: “We’d like to say thanks to a great pair of lads who selflessly gave of their time to help a fellow walker.

“Without their efforts we could have been looking at an entirely different outcome.”