A CLIMBER who was unable to walk after falling at Wintours Leap near Chepstow was carried to safety following a major multi-agency rescue operation.

Emergency crews were called to the popular climbing location on Saturday afternoon after two climbers fell near the base of Great Wall, just north of the viewpoint.

One of the climbers was injured in the fall and was unable to make their own way from the difficult terrain.

Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA) was called at around 4.45pm, joining Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service and an Ambulance Hazardous Area Response Team at the scene.

Rescuers, including a SARA doctor, made their way to the casualty carrying a stretcher while a second team prepared equipment in case a rope rescue was required.

Firefighters and SARA volunteers established a rope system using a specialist Larkin Frame, which would have allowed rescuers to haul the casualty up the cliff.

However, following an assessment of the climber and the available routes, crews decided it would be safer to carry the casualty out rather than lift them vertically up the rock face.

The injured climber was placed on a stretcher and carried through the difficult terrain before being handed over to an ambulance at Lancaut shortly before 7.30pm.

SARA thanked everyone who responded to the incident and helped bring the operation to a safe conclusion.

Longtown Mountain Rescue Team had initially been contacted following reports of the fallen climber but its volunteers were already committed to two separate incidents.

The team therefore contacted SARA to request assistance with the Wintours Leap rescue.

Longtown Mountain Rescue thanked SARA for responding and providing support while its own resources were stretched across the other callouts.

The team also wished everyone involved in the incidents a safe and speedy recovery following a busy afternoon for emergency rescue volunteers.