A TEENAGER from Worcestershire had to be rescued and airlifted to hospital after falling while climbing in Snowdonia.

The operation to rescue the Bromsgrove youth, aged 17, took more than six hours, and he was carried 1,000 ft down Tryfan where he fell, before being winched off.

The climber was in a group of four on the 3,000 ft (914m) Tryfan peak.

The 25 rescuers who first went to his aid at 10am yesterday were hampered by the terrain, low cloud and gusting winds.

An RAF rescue helicopter, the RAF Valley Mountain and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue were all involved in the operation co-ordinated by North Wales Police.

The team members had to get the helicopter into a place on the mountain where the winds was not too strong before the injured teenager could be airlifted.

He suffered head and back injuries.