Three climbers were carried on an avalanche measuring hundreds of metres wide in the latest of a string of similar incidents.

The climbers were carried 200m down a corrie in the Cairngorms mountains but escaped unharmed.

The near miss was the biggest of three avalanches recorded in the northern Cairngorms on the same day, and one of a number triggered on the Scottish mountains in recent weeks.

The high numbers of avalanches has prompted a warning for walkers and climbers to take care on the hills.

In the past month 43 avalanches have been recorded in five areas covered by the SportScotland Avalanche Information Service - Creag Meagaidh, Glencoe, Lochaber and the northern and southern Cairngorms.

Mark Diggins, SAIS coordinator, said: "In the Cairngorms there have been some very lucky escapes.

"People have been hit by avalanches and carried by avalanches, and narrowly escaped being engulfed. It is just by good fortune that they have not.

"There does not appear to be much snow on the hills, but in fact certainly in the past fortnight we have had a good number of avalanches take place which have been triggered by people. This is largely because they consider that there is not a great avalanche hazard.

"This is a timely reminder for people to keep their wits about them and to look at the avalanche reports are to where to go and where not to go."

Andrew Todd, mountain rescue coordinator in Grampian, urged hillwalkers, climbers, skiiers and snowboarders to be aware of the risks before going onto the mountains.

He is particularly concerned for skiiers and snowboarders enjoying some off piste snowsports without considering the risk of an avalanche.

He said: "A lot of people caught in avalanches set it off themselves.

"If you are on even a few inches of snow and it avalanches, it will carry you down the hill and could take you over boulders, rocks and maybe over a cliff.

"We have had deaths where people have been avalanched and have not been buried in the snow."