Woman rescued after climbing Ben Nevis with 'just a selfie stick'

A woman was rescued from Ben Nevis after attempting an ascent while wearing summer clothes and carrying just a selfie stick.

Sara Albone, 28, became disorientated and began to develop hypothermia after being caught in blizzard conditions while wearing shorts and trainers on Britain's highest mountain.

She was found by chance while lost on the 4,411ft peak, in Scotland's Cairngorms, where several climbers have been killed in recent months.

See also: Ben Nevis 'grows a metre' since last height survey

See also: Climber dies in Ben Nevis fall

According to the Daily Telegraph, she was saved when four climbers scaling the north face of the mountain reached the summit and found her "drenched and frozen".

A rescue helicopter could not be deployed because of bad weather, so they huddled around her and kept her warm until another trio of experienced climbers helped her down.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team leader John Stevenson said it was "ridiculous" to attempt to climb the mountain, where the summit remains in "full-blown winter", without the right equipment or support.

"Being irresponsible means others have to go out of their way to help," he said.

According to reports, Albone decided to scale the mountain on the spur of the moment while part-way through a mountain biking tour through Scotland.

However, the keen cross-country runner only had the gear for her two-wheeled trip, and not the ice pick, poles and emergency shelter it is advised climbers take with them up the snow-capped mountain.

Ms Albone said: "I kind of knew I was under-prepared, and didn't actually intend on getting to the top. I just sort of thought, oh I've got this far – it's not too bad – let's carry on."

Writing on a mountaineering forum, Albone praised her rescuers and apologised.

She wrote: "I was such a massive p---- and I'm so sorry. Not only do I never ever want to put myself or anyone else in that sort of situation again, I also would like to be able to help someone the way you all helped me.

"I was that t-- that all proper climbers talk about. No ice pick/poles/shelter any of the things that are appropriate for climbing a mountain. Just the stuff I had packed for the weekend and a stupid selfie stick."

According to the Metro, she added: "All of the people involved were incredibly brave and kind and went beyond the call of duty to help when most people would tell you to go on alone.

"It was a really lucky escape. I think if it had not been for these guys I could have died. I got to the top but started feeling really dizzy and I could not feel my own body.

"I started feeling like I was a bit drunk and got to a point where I could not walk any further.

"The experience has really highlighted to me the need to always pack items that are essential for mountain climbing. If it was not for the guys that helped me Ben Nevis would have definitely been Ben Never."

Louis Lander-Deacon, one of the climbers who found Albone, described conditions on the mountain as "absolutely terrible".

"I am sure that if she had not bumped into us she might have died," he added.

The report comes just days after the bodies of Rachel Slater, 24 and Tim Newton, 27, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, were discovered on Ben Nevis on March 23.

They were reported missing on February 15 after failing to return from a climb.

On Friday, Peter Nielsen, 32, an experienced climber from Tranent, East Lothian, died after falling on the Aladdin's Buttress area of the Cairngorms.