Tryfan: Woman scattering dads ashes rescued on mountain

This video can not be played

Woman has to be rescued after getting stuck on mountain whilst scattering dads ashes

Scattering her dads ashes on one of the UKs most recognisable peaks almost ended in tragedy for Kitty Harrison.

She had just given her father Steve Parry an emotional send-off on the summit of Tryfan, one of Wales highest mountains, when she slipped.

Kitty, 32, doesnt know how far she fell, but clung to a tiny ledge where she balanced precariously above a 300ft (91m) drop for more than three hours.

She has thanked the "heroes" who saved her life in a seven-hour rescue.

"I was in such a state and I couldnt have got out there myself," said the trainee dental nurse. "They deserve so much credit and praise, they are heroes."

A helicopter and a 12-strong mountain rescue team were needed to find and save Kitty who had slipped while ascending the tricky terrain of one of the most notorious climbs in Eryri, also known as Snowdonia.

"My foot slipped on the loose shingle and I slipped quite a way and I landed on a tiny ledge," Kitty told the BBCs SOS: Extreme Rescues programme.

"If I hadnt gone down that side, Id have gone straight down the mountain and Im not sure Id be here today."

She was almost a third of the way down from the 3,000ft (917m) summit - where she had said her final goodbye to her beloved dad - when volunteers located her using her mobile phone GPS and spotters from the coastguard chopper.

"It was cold on that ledge, it was wet and I was there such a long time," said Kitty, who lives with husband Michael in Wolverhampton.

"I tried to climb back up but it was so wet and slippy, I was too scared Id fall."

Kitty didnt know what significant challenges the rescue team was trying to overcome to get to her off Tryfans rocky and sheer western side.

"Theres the initial relief that someones coming to get me," she recalled. "Then you wait and no-one came.

"Then the helicopter comes and youre waving but no-one was waving back. I was worried no-one had seen me. That happened again and again.

"You go from hope to proper doom, to fear that no-one is going to find me.

"As time went on, I was shivering cold and damp and couldnt move a muscle but because of the exercise climbing up the mountain, my legs were tired and shaking. I thought I could fall off here before they find me."

Due to the rugged topography and tricky wind speeds, the helicopter couldnt get close to Kitty, who was perched in a gully.

The only option for rescuers was to go above her and abseil down.

"She was quite distraught and in quite a scary place for some time," said Robin Woodward of Ogwen Mountain Rescue, one of the UKs busiest rescue agencies.

"This was someone properly worrying for their own life. It wouldnt have turned out well for her if shed slipped further down."

Robin dropped 100ft (30m) down to rescue a relieved Kitty and carried her to safety - one of a record 178 incidents the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team dealt with in 2022, 40% of which were on Tryfan.

"When the rescuers said theres BBC cameras with us, part of me thought I dont care whos with you just get me off this mountain," said Kitty with a smile.

Theyre among the UKs busiest rescue teams that try to save lives on the mountains, coast and in the forests of Eryri or Snowdonia.

The 12-part series is available on BBC iPlayer and on Mondays at 19:00 GMT on BBC One Wales and BBC Two elsewhere.

"The other part thought thats typical, I have one bad day and thats the day the BBC decided to come and see me!

"Id also ripped my leggings when I fell and I was like please dont put my bum on the telly - my mum wouldve killed me!"

It was the end of an emotional summers day for Kitty who had scaled Tryfan to give her beloved dad Steve - a nature and outdoors-loving father-of-two - the send-off he wanted after he died suddenly aged 56 in January 2021.

"Its a special place for us as it was dads favourite mountain with the best view as well as being the most exhilarating climb," recalled Kitty.

"He once shared on Facebook that he wanted his ashes to be scattered there when hes gone because he just wanted to see that amazing view for the rest of his days."

Steve, who worked for birds protection charity RSPB, loved photography, wildlife and being outdoors and took the family on holidays to north Wales from the West Midlands regularly to enjoy the countryside.

Kitty said she is an experienced climber and was well prepared with emergency provisions while taking her dad on his final journey in June 2022

"I felt a real sense of achievement when getting to the top to fulfil his final request," recalled Kitty.

"I found a lovely spot and sat with him just smiling and said to myself I did what you said dad.

"Then as I came down I slipped and carried on falling."

Kitty suffered a number of bumps and bruises, but no serious injuries.

"Dad used to call Tryfan the little mountain that bites back - and now I know why," she added.