MOUNTAIN rescue teams had to airlift a woman to safety after she fractured her leg while walking in the Brecon Beacons.

The Central Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and Brecon Mountain Rescue team had to join forces to help save a woman who had a suspected broken ankle whilst walking off Powys peak, Cribyn.

The woman was part of a group of walkers attempting to do the Neuadd Horseshoe and in the process she had slipped and been seriously injured and unable to move.

The teams converged on her position from the north and the south while she was kept warm and as comfortable as possible by her fellow walkers.

When the rescue teams reached her, she was treated by the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team’s doctor, a paramedic and casualty carer.

Despite this the woman was still in pain despite being given strong pain relief and therefore a rescue helicopter was called in from the Coastguard at St Athan.

When she got to hospital it was found she had “significant fractures of the lower leg at the ankle”.

A spokesperson for the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team said: “Following reports of female walker having sustained a suspected broken ankle whilst walking off Cribyn, both Brecon Mountain Rescue Team and ourselves responded from North and South sides respectively to “The Gap” in a well-established procedure.

“The lady, who’s party were doing the Neuadd Horseshoe had slipped and injured herself quite badly. Unable to move the party requested Mountain Rescue assistance whilst doing their best to keep her warm and comfortable helped by a number of fellow hill walkers, for which they and we are grateful.

“Treated by Brecon Mountain Rescue Team’s Doctor, a Paramedic and Casualty Carers, the lady, despite various forms of pain relief was in a lot of pain and an evacuation by helicopter was requested, in preference to a prolonged evacuation by stretcher, to which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency SAR Helicopter R187 from St Athan thankfully responded.

“Undoubtedly much more comfortable for the patient it also saved us a lot of effort too.

“It turns out from hospital x-rays that the lady sustained significant fractures of the lower leg at the ankle.

“We wish her a full and speedy recovery.”