Laser 'targeted' at police helicopter after Mountain Ash rescue

A police helicopter crew was targeted by someone shining a laser light following a rescue callout, according to officers.

It happened while the National Police Air Service (NPAS) crew helped mountain rescuers to find two lost walkers in Rhondda Cynon Taf on Friday night.

It comes just days after a Swansea man was jailed for 30 weeks for directing a laser beam towards an aircraft.

The walkers were found at Llanwonno forest, near Mountain Ash.

The helicopter crew, based in St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, tweeted: "We spotted them within minutes of being overhead and guided the team in.

"Unfortunately, in difficult conditions with low cloud and high terrain, we were targeted by a laser."

Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team said the helicopter crew provided "invaluable location identification and illumination" at the scene, along with help from South Wales Police officers.

The rescue volunteers said the pair, who were uninjured, were led to an awaiting 4x4 rescue vehicle and later reunited with family following the callout at 19:30 GMT.

Laser beams can cause "distraction and, in the worst case, pain, damage and temporary blindness", according to NPAS assistant operations director Simon Hepworth who said he could not comment on the specific case.

"In the worst cases it could, potentially, be catastrophic," he added.