Hikers need to be 'better prepared' after climber completing three peaks challenge gets stuck up North Wales mountain

A charity is warning people who take part in fundraising hikes need to have the right equipment and be fully prepared after a climber got stuck up a mountain for more than five hours.

The 59-year-old man was taking part in the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge over the weekend and lost his team when weather conditions changed near the top of Cadair Idris. The climber was wearing shorts, t-shirt and a light jacket with no extra equipment, food or water.

The challenge involves teams or individuals reaching the summit of Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y fan. It is believed that the hiker lost sight of the trail down in foggy conditions. The hiker's team did not raise the alarm until they reached the bottom of the mountain, realising that he was no longer with them.

The Aberdyfi Search and Rescue Team have warned that such challenges can cause unnecessary pressure on charities if they are not planned efficiently.

A spokesman for the team said: "Having been missing for some five hours before the alarm was raised, and dressed in shorts, t-shirt and a light jacket, with no extra equipment, food or water, the man was cold and hungry when reached."After being provided with adequate clothing and warm drinks, he was escorted down off the mountain and was reunited with friends shortly after 1am."

Graham O'Hanlon was part of the team who helped the hiker and he's encouraging people to make sure they are fully prepared for the challenge in the future.

"These types of charity challenge can sometimes result in an extra burden for rescue services across Britain," he continued. "Whilst many are well organised and go off without incident, this is sadly not always the case."The very nature of such a challenge is that it can draw in people with little or no experience, and the pressures of a time-limited process can quickly lead to groups becoming spread out on the mountain. "As a charity ourselves, we fully understand that fundraisers are the lifeblood of such organisations, but would ask people try to ensure that fundraising for one charity is not done at the expense, in terms of time and resources, of another."As ever, we encourage people to check the weather before heading to the mountains, and to ensure that the skills of the group and the equipment carried are suitable for the proposed task."