Stag party warning after group climb wet and wild Mt Snowdon in ‘pyjamas and trainers’

A rescue team are warning climbers to take the proper precautions when scaling Mount Snowdon after a stag party took to the slopes in stormy conditions in their pyjamas and trainers.

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT) has highlighted a number of instances in which poorly equipped hikers are attempting to climb the 3,560ft peak - including one last Thursday in which a group of men on a stag party scaled Snowdon in night wear during a “horrific storm”

"[They went] in the middle of what turned out to be quite a horrific storm of thunder, lightning, very very heavy rain and quite strong winds," LMRT chairman John Grisdale told the BBC. Mr Grisdale said the party was advised against the climb but instead they “went off and tackled Snowdon in their pyjamas”.

"It seems as if they had had a very pleasant walk on Snowdon last year and they wanted to repeat the occasion,” he added. “Unfortunately I think it would be best to have left it for another day and had more enjoyment.

"Had something happened, a very trivial thing like a twisted knee or a broken ankle, or something like that, conditions on the mountain meant that they would've been seriously cold, miserable, wet and unfortunately drawing, probably, the mountain rescue team out to help themselves as well."

The LMRT has already had more than 180 incidents this year, as hikers attempt to scale the often dangerous range. 

Earlier this year 23-year-old Stuart Tyrer fell to his death when walking down Snowdon, just after texting his parents to say he had reached the top. Experienced hiker Mr Tyrer, who climbed to the peak on his own, was found by rescue workers at the foot of a gully after he failed to return home in April.

Mr Tryer’s tragic death followed a number of other fatal incidents over the last five years. Darren Barber, 39, plunged to his death in February 2010 after slipping on ice while descending down Pen yr Ole Wen, Snowdonia with a friend. Conditions had worsened as the pair made their way down the range. 

Adverse conditions also claimed the lives of brothers Christopher and James McCallion, who were believed to have fallen down Snowdon after being hit by winds of up to 100mph.