Climber dies and 23 rescued from Ben Nevis

Emergency services and mountain rescue helped 23 people on Ben Nevis on Tuesday

A climber who has died on Ben Nevis was among 24 people caught up in a number of rescues on the UK's highest mountain on Tuesday.

Police said the 28-year-old man died at the scene and 23 people were helped to safety.

A group of Army personnel climbing on the 4,400ft (1,345m) mountain helped some of the stranded climbers.

Two soldiers, men aged 29 and 37, were hurt while doing this and needed hospital treatment to minor injuries.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and search and rescue helicopters based at Inverness Airport at Dalcross, near Inverness, and Prestwick in Ayrshire were also involved.

The incidents on Ben Nevis involved different groups of climbers all believed to be around the same area.

A spokesman for the Army said: "A small number of soldiers provided support to stranded walkers on Ben Nevis on Tuesday.

"They assisted the party until emergency and mountain rescue services were able to reach them."

Police said the death was not suspicious and a report would be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Coastguard helicopters based at Prestwick and near Inverness were involved in Tuesday's rescues

Six people have died in the Scottish mountains in the last two weeks, police said as they appealed to walkers and climbers to take extra care.

They said mountain rescue teams were experiencing an increase in call-outs recently and they asked people heading to the hills to carefully plan routes and check forecasts.

Among those who have died is a 54-year-old man who fell while walking on An Teallach, near Dundonnell.

Lochaber MRT said it had attended 12 call-outs and helped 26 people since Saturday. Three of the incidents involved fatalities.

Insp Matt Smith, Police Scotland mountain rescue coordinator said, "We would urge those seeking to venture into the outdoors to take extra care.

"Challenging winter conditions still prevail in the hills with large areas totally covered in snow and ice.

"Often these areas are completely unavoidable and snow may be rock hard with a high likelihood of a fall unless crampons and an ice axe are carried and most importantly, the group has a knowledge in how and when to use them."

Meanwhile bad weather that has followed a recent spell of good conditions for walking and climbing have hampered the search for a missing walker in Glen Coe.

Neil Gillingham, 43, from Kilmarnock, was last seen at about 13:30 on Sunday near Stob Coire Nam Beith, a summit on the mountain Bidean Nam Bian. Police said a search would resume once the weather improved.