One of the founders of a Snowdonia mountain rescue team has died in a climbing accident in the Llanberis Pass.

John Ellis Roberts fell while climbing yesterday on Dinas Cromlech, and members of the team he belonged to were called to deal with the incident.

Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team was called out about 12.30pm yesterday after Mr Roberts fell about 9m (30ft) while climbing with a friend on the crag overlooking the pass.

A Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley also flew to the scene and attempts to save the climber continued as he was flown to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Roberts, who was a few days short of his 71st birthday, was also former head warden for the Snowdonia national park. He lived in Betws y Coed, but grew up in Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team chairman John Grisdale said: “The tragedy of losing ‘John Êl’ in an accident on one of the cliffs where he had diligently, over so many years, helped to save hundreds of lives is so tragic and poignant.

“I extend the team’s sympathy to Tracy and his sister Jean in their sad loss brought about this frightful tragedy.

“John had been the backbone of Llanberis team for decades; his practical contribution and his professional knowledge of the mountains have been priceless on so many occasions.

“John was respected as a knowledgeable and conscientious leader, hardworking and particularly respectful of the dangers on the mountain.

“Over the years John served the team in many ways; for many years he was a tireless equipment officer and developed new equipment and rescue techniques. He contributed as a wise chairman and an extremely diligent callout co-ordinator.

“On his retirement he was nominated as the team’s president and last year, when the team celebrated 40 years at Nant Peris, John was made an honorary member.

“He was a very private and unostentatious person but I know how much this award meant to him, not only as a celebration of his long association with the team but in receiving an acknowledgement from colleagues who had worked alongside him on hundreds of callouts and which reflected the respect they had towards him.”

Mr Grisdale said the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team was founded in 1968 and Mr Roberts, as head warden of the national park, became involved from the beginning. He said he shared his infectious enthusiasm for the work and his professional experience as a Mountain Guide which provided a firm structure and an efficient start to the team.

“In 1972 John was primarily responsible for establishing a mountain rescue post in Nant Peris,” Mr Grisdale said. “Based in the new national park warden centre, the team has been accommodated in this building ever since mainly through John’s foresight and the park authority’s generosity.

“John’s whole life was linked to the mountains and the cliffs that shape him from childhood in ‘Stiniog. It was this love of the mountains that formed his career as the head warden, Mountain Guide, search and rescue dog handler, skier and more recently a cyclist in the mountains.

“His love of the mountain environment made him a mountain man in its widest definition. John contributed to a range of associations and mountaineering bodies and was widely acknowledged and he was awarded an MBE for his services to mountaineering.

“When I recall the fond memories spent in his company on and off the mountains it’s John’s considerable contribution to his square mile that remains paramount. John’s involvement in the work of mountain rescue was pioneering and his enthusiasm was infectious.

“That’s why the nature of his death on the cliffs is so especially sad for all who knew him.

“John had been a stalwart of the Llanberis team and will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.”

A Snowdonia national park spokesperson said: “It was with great sadness that the Snowdonia National Park Authority learned of the untimely death of John Ellis Roberts, MBE.

“He came to work for the national park in 1966 after a period working at the Trawsfynydd Power Station and the Merionethshire Water Board and, at 23 years old, he was appointed senior warden of the national park.

“Even at a very young age, he had a thorough knowledge of the area and its people and knew the mountains of Snowdonia like the back of his hand. He used that information not only daily at work as a warden in the mountains but as a mountain leader for a multitude of mountain tours and in saving numerous lives of animals and people.

“Over the years, he made a valuable contribution to the development of training for mountain guides and received several awards for his bravery in rescuing others.

“The authority extends its sincere condolences to his friends and family in their bereavement. He will be greatly missed.”