Two men were rescued from a south Powys cave system after being trapped inside overnight.

The South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team (SMWCRT) was called out to rescue two cavers at the Daren Cilau cave system on the morning of Saturday, January 8 after they were reported missing.

The cave system, on the Llangattock Escarpment, is one of the longest in the UK and is infamous for its gruelling entrance crawls.

The two cavers were located by the team and supported back through the entrance crawl that afternoon, before being rewarmed. The men, aged 19 and 30, were both cold and wet but thankfully unharmed.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Officers attended Daren Cilau Caves near Crickhowell on Saturday morning, January 8, 2022, in response to a call reporting that two males, aged 19 and 30, from the South Wales area, had not returned home after going caving on Friday, January 7, 2022.

“Following an extensive search involving police and the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team the men were located safe and well at 12.40pm.”

Capping off a busy start to the year, SMWCRT was also called out less than 24 hours later to respond to reports of a caver with a dislocated hip.

The team were called to Ogof Clogwyn, in the Clydach Gorge, on Sunday to assist the man, who had fallen near the cave entrance.

SMWCRT worked with Longtown Mountain Rescue Team and the Welsh Ambulance Service to safely evacuate the casualty.

The cave entrance is accessed via a steep path with a severe drop off, so by using a rope system, the teams were able to protect all those involved but also get the injured man via stretcher up to road to meet the waiting Welsh Ambulance vehicle.

This was the third call-out in the space of a week for the cave rescue team, who were also called out last week to assist with a dog rescue above Pontycymer in the South Wales Valleys. After some digging in the rain, Burt the Patterdale Terrier was extracted and reunited with a very happy owner.

South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team is a voluntary organisation providing assistance to people and animals in need underground. The Team relies on the donations from members of the public to fund our essential life-saving rescue service.

To read more about the work they do and to donate, visit www.smwcrt.org/