Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team experienced a busy bank holiday weekend helping disorientated walkers and an injured mountain bike rider.

On Thursday, 30 April, way on their way back to base after an evening of training the rescue team diverted to Pont ar Daf car park in Bannau Brycheiniog after being called at 9.50pm to help two walkers who’d become disoriented on the Neuadd Ridge.

This was one of the days during the week when numerous grass fires were reported across the National Park, and with safety of team members paramount the team’s Incident Controllers made all the relevant dynamic risk assessments before agreeing with team members at the car park it was safe to proceed onto the mountain.

The rescue team has since said it’s also important to recognise the ladies who’d called for help had started their walk earlier in the day before the fire reports.

A spokesperson discussed the callout further. They said: “While we were deploying, we were aided by an Incident Controller from Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, who relayed phone messages between us and the two walkers - thank you Duncan.

“This assisted us to swiftly locate the ladies at Bwlch Duwynt. They were thankfully uninjured, albeit cold and tired, and we escorted them back to the car park for some hot chocolate from our control vehicle. Shortly after midnight we were back at base then on our way home.”

The following day, Friday 1 May, Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team were called at 3pm by Dyfed-Powys Police to assist two lady walkers at the waterfalls area of Bannau Brycheiniog.

The ladies had been given some poor advice from fellow walkerson how best to see one of the waterfalls on the Four Falls Trail and found themselves on a very unofficial, narrow footpath which made it difficult for them to go further or retrace their steps, so they called for help.

“Thanks to PhoneFind and Sarloc Rescue technology, three of our first responding members were able to get to the ladies and walked them out of the waterfalls gorge then back to their vehicle,” said a Central beacons Mountain Rescue Team spokesperson.

On Saturday, 2 May, the team found themselves at Bike Park Wales to assist Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust Paramedics with extrication of an injured mountain bike rider with spinal and sternum injuries. With seamless joint working they soon had the gentleman stretchered to the ambulance and on his way to hospital.

Saturday continued into the evening when they were called at 8.40pm to assist Western Beacons Mountain Rescue Team colleagues with a male walker near Sgwd Gwladus waterfall. He had fallen and sustained a suspected fracture dislocation of his shoulder. After assessment by one of the team’s Remote Rescue Medics he was able to be carefully walked to Pontneddfechan village, from where his friend took him to hospital. Just after 10pm the team were back at base and then on their way home.