Two hikers were airlifted to hospital after being hit by lightning on the summit of Snowdon.

The women were at the summit of Snowdon in Wales when a freak storm hit the region yesterday afternoon, July 28.

Rescuers said one of the women was bleeding and "falling in and out of consciousness" when they arrived on the 3,560ft-peak at 1.47pm on Wednesday.

North Wales Police were called and volunteer crews from Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team were sent along with the Coast Guard rescue helicopter.

One of the hikers sustained minor injuries during the incident while the other sustained serious injuries.

A spokesman for Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team said: "The team was called out today by North Wales Police to a female at the summit of Yr Wyddfa.

"She had been struck by lightning and was falling in and out of consciousness, with blood down one side of the face.

"The team was called to our base at Nant Peris, and a request for the assistance of the Coast Guard rescue helicopter was made.

[ads id="ads2"]

"Some members were deployed on foot and by train, where others were flown up by Rescue 936 to Clogwyn station.

"At the summit, two females were treated for the effects of a lightning strike. One with minor injuries and the other more serious.

"Both were evacuated back down the mountain to Clogwyn station by the team where they were flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor by Rescue 936."

The women were flown to a hospital in Bangor, Gwynedd, by helicopter but their conditions are not known.

Much of the UK was swept by stormy weather yesterday, causing damage to properties.