Body found in search for skier Daniel Maddox in Glencoe

An RAF rescue helicopter assisted mountain rescue volunteers working in Glencoe

Searchers have found the body of a skier who went missing in an avalanche near Glencoe Ski Centre in the west Highlands.

Northern Constabulary have named the man as Daniel Maddox, 41, who was from Clackmannanshire.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident at an "off-piste" skiing area in the Etive Glades on Saturday.

Glencoe Mountain Resort said the experienced off-piste skier had been caught in a major avalanche.

Northern Constabulary co-ordinated the search, with members of Glencoe and Lochaber rescue teams.

Mr Maddox was found at about 12:00 on Sunday, in 18-20ft of snow.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said they would like to extend their thoughts to the family of the dead man.

The searchers were assisted by an RAF Lossiemouth helicopter.

John Grieve, leader of Glencoe Mountain Team, said the avalanche travelled about 1,000ft down the slope's rocky face.

"The avalanche has actually gone into a gully, and in some places the snow is about 40ft deep," he said.

There have been a number of serious incidents as a result of avalanches in Scotland this year.

In January, four experienced climbers died on Bidean Nam Bian in Glencoe.

Three people also died after an avalanche in the Cairngorms in February.

Two of the climbers were off-duty members of the RAF Mountaineering Association. The third fatality was a student on a course at the Glenmore Lodge outdoor centre.

In the same week there was a second fatal avalanche involving a hillwalker.