Woman dies after Snowdonia fall

Thirty people took part in the search for the woman

A woman thought to have been walking alone has died after falling down steep crags on a mountainside in Snowdonia.

A major search was launched after she was reported missing off Idwal Slabs on Glyder Fawr at 1830 BST on Monday.

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team member Chris Lloyd said she was seen to fall by two mountain climbers.

Mountain rescue teams, search dogs and an RAF rescue helicopter helped locate her body about three hours after she was reported missing.

The woman who died had been walking on Glyder Fawr mountain when she fell about 700ft (212m) down steep crags at Idwal Slabs which is near the summit, Mr Lloyd said.

He said the mountain climbers who saw her fall had to finish their climb up the crags before they were able to get off the mountain and call the emergency services for help.

It's only suitable for rock climbers who are coming up who are properly equipped Chris Lloyd, Ogwen Valley mountain rescue, on the area

North Wales Police said the woman's body was found at the bottom of Idwal Slabs, an area popular with climbers, at about 2045 BST on Monday.

Mr Lloyd said the area was "dangerous" and "very unpleasant".

"It's only suitable for rock climbers who are coming up who are properly equipped," he said.

"And then once they get to the top of the crag they escape away from the edge of the crag as soon as they possibly can."

The mountain is more than 3,000ft (909m) and he said the woman was believed to have fallen about 700ft (212m).

"She came a good distance and it's not a survivable fall," he added.

A team of 20 people from the Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team and 10 from RAF Valley mountain rescue team helped in the search.

An RAF rescue helicopter from Valley on Anglesey was also called in but the wind conditions were too poor for it to get close to the crags.