Mountain rescuers endure busy spell
But roads are packed as fans turn out for Red Arrows
RHOSNEIGR was brought to a standstill as cars lined the streets ahead of the Red Arrows display.
The world-famous aerobatic display team were carrying out a training rehearsal at RAF Valley last Thursday ahead of Victory in Japan commemorations last weekend.
The RAF had asked people not to travel to the base in their cars, or to come to the island especially to watch the spectacle.
But there was heavy the nearby village.
Huw Parry, of Rhosneigr, captured scenes of queues of cars parked either side of Station Road while he drove through the area at traffic in around 1pm on Thursday.
The 20-year-old said: “I started the video after already passing quite a few cars, and it continued after the end of the video.
“I think it slowed a lot of people passing through town, but it wasn’t too bad.
“Once you get further into the village, I think it caused a lot of issues, though.”
RAF Valley had urged people not to travel to the base to watch the show, and asked those planning to visit, particularly from outside the region, “reconsider”.
Military chiefs feared a “buildup of cars or spectators in the display area can cause the practice to be cancelled” due to regulations introduced by the Military Aviation Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority.
In a statement, they said: “The more people there are on the ground, the less chance there will be for the Red Arrows to conduct this vital training.”
The RAF Valley recorded the session and shared it via their social media “so that as many people as possible can see it”.
MOUNTAIN rescuers reported a busy weekend with an influx of incidents taking their total number of call-outs this year to more than 50.
Volunteers from Ogwen Valley were called to help nine friends with no mountaineering experience who set out to climb Tryfan, as well as a woman who fell from her bicycle in Betws y Coed.
Referring to the first incident, a spokesman said: “Nine friends with no mountaineering experience set out to climb Tryfan.
“With no equipment, route in mind or map, it soon went wrong.
“Two of the group split off ahead and later summited, three of the group turned around early and went back down, leaving four continuing to climb up slowly.
“The two on the summit phoned the group of four and advised them to turn around and go back down.
“This they did but with no map or compass they strayed on to the west face where one of the group with a history of panic attacks subsequently had one.
“A hill party deployed to the casualty group and moved them slowly back to the North Ridge before the coastguard rescue helicopter from St Athan became available after a rescue on Snowdon.
“R187 was able to winch the hyperventilating casualty aboard and fly him down to Oggie Base, while the hill party continued to walk the remaining group back down to the roadside.”
Referring to the second incident, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue posted on Facebook: “The woman failed to make a corner, hitting a wall.
“She went over the wall down into the woodland hitting trees and sustaining chest and arm injuries.
“Paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service attended along with North Wales Police.
“The casualty was covered with blankets and heatpacks before being immobilised and placed in a stretcher.
“She was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd for treatment.”
Ogwen Valley said they’ve had a busy spell in recent days attending other rescues at Aber Falls and Carnedd Llewelyn, Bethesda, Moel Siabod and Cwm Idwal.