Walkers wearing just tracksuits are rescued on Snowdon

Mountain rescue teams say two pairs of walkers are lucky to be alive, after attempting to climb Snowdon in just tracksuits and trainers.

The RAF and rescuers were scrambled late on Tuesday afternoon after two male students from London became tired in snow on the mountain.

The rescue teams were out again on Wednesday morning after two men slipped around 200ft (61m) down a snow face.

The incidents came within hours of a campaign launched to improve safety.

Temperatures on the highest peak in England and Wales have been sub-zero for the whole week, with heavy snowfalls making conditions underfoot treacherous.

Tuesday's rescue saw two students, in their 20s and from the London area, overcome by exertion as they attempted to reach the summit of Snowdon via the ranger path.

Wearing just trainers and tracksuits, they spent around an hour-and-half sat in deep snow waiting for rescuers to reach them in the dark.

After being reached by the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, they were airlifted off the mountain and treated for hypothermia in hospital.

'Poorly equipped'

On Wednesday morning, the emergency services were called out at 10.30 GMT after two men in their 20s slipped on snow below Clogwyn Station.

Crews from RAF Valley said the pair were difficult to find because they were poorly equipped, with no maps or lights. Again, the pair were dressed in just tracksuits and trainers, despite Arctic conditions on the mountain.

Rescuers said they were lucky to be alive, but they had been found relatively quickly using a thermal image camera.

The latest rescues came within hours of the launch of the MountainSafe initiative on Tuesday.

Bringing together North Wales Police, the North Wales Mountain Rescue Association and the Snowdonia National Park Authority, it aims to highlight the dangers present in the area, and spell out the need to be properly prepared and equipped.

This year has seen an unprecedented increase in rescue call outs, more than 300 for the Llanberis, Ogwen Valley and Aberglaslyn teams.

Launching the scheme, Tim Bird, of North Wales Police, who is also a member of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team said: "We want people to continue to come and enjoy the beautiful mountains of north Wales.

"But before they set out they need to ask themselves are they properly clothed and equipped; do they know the weather forecast; have they got the mountain skills needed for the terrain they're about to tackle?"