A GWENT man and his nine-year-old daughter were rescued from the top of a mountain in a dramatic operation involving a police helicopter - after calling 999 on a mobile phone.

The pair became lost when mist and fog descended on the Sugar Loaf in Abergavenny on Saturday afternoon reducing visibility to a few metres.

The Gwent police helicopter and a search and rescue team from Longtown Mountain Rescue, near Abergavenny, were scrambled to help them.

A police spokesman said the pair had climbed the mountain without any equipment and had "started to panic."

The man, believed to be in his 30s, is from the Goytre area, near Abergavenny.

Mark Nicholls, a team leader from Longtown Mountain Rescue, said: "They were lucky to be able to call for help via a mobile and if they had been out there any longer it could have been a different story.

"People have succumbed to hypothermia and died in the Black Mountains where you've got a high wind chill factor.

"I spoke to the gentleman on his mobile phone and managed to get a description of where he was so we could get him back on a path to the summit and told him to sit there.

"We then drove a Land Rover up as far as we could and the police helicopter landed just to check on him.

"Between us we escorted them off and walked them back down and into the vehicle and down to safety.

"Medically they were OK - the little girl was fine - but they were a bit cold. "It could have been far worse. They had fairly adequate clothing but they didn't have a map and compass and without these it is easy to become disorientated.

"Walkers should always go as prepared as they can be and use the right footwear, clothing, torch and a map and compass.

"People tend to forget that the Sugar Loaf is at a serious altitude and the weather can change very quickly and walkers don't necessarily see what the conditions are like at the top.

"I would advise walkers that if the weather does change, they shouldn't be afraid of turning back.

"Don't rely on your mobile because there can be a problem with signals and when you call for help you don't always get through to your local police, which could cause a few problems."

The two did not require any medical attention and were described by police as "fit and well".