Rescue efforts: One injured and five taken to safety in Cairngorms. Pic: © STV
A climber suffered serious injuries and mountain rescuers helped six others to safety in a series of incidents in the Highlands.
The badly injured 25-year-old man fell about 70 metres from the Crags, near the Shelter Stone in the Cairngorms. The 25-year-old was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness with serious leg and spine injuries after the fall, at 9pm on Saturday and was undergoing surgery on his hip Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday, Cairngorm rescuers hailed the lifesaving actions of the man's climbing companion, also 25.
Describing him as a hero, a spokesman told STV News that he had climbed down into a gully, in the dark and without any ropes, to help his injured friend, keeping him warm and digging him a snow shelter to keep him secure on a steep ledge until help was able to arrive hours later.
Willie Anderson, leader of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, said: "The two guys were 10 metres from the top when the lead climber took a fall, plunging about 70 metres. His mate abseiled down to him and created a bucket seat in the deep snow on the ledge, securing him on the end of their ropes.
"He really did a great job in securing him in a shelter. He then climbed down the gully without ropes and came across a snow hole where other climbers were spending the night.
"He had been on the end of the ropes in the shelter created by his friend for about three hours. It certainly saved his life."
Mr Anderson added: "The faller had suffered a serious hip injury and his friend did all he could to make him safe. He created a big ledge in the deep snow and also dressed him in extra clothing to keep in warm.
"His actions prevented his mate from death."
Also on Saturday night, three climbers from Essex alerted police after getting into "extreme difficulties" with a climb at the Vent in the Cairngorms near Aviemore.
Two men, aged 51 and 19, and a 34-year-old woman were traced and winched to safety by an RAF Kinloss helicopter. None of them required hospital treatment.
Earlier in the day, rescue teams traced two men who had become disorientated in the Meall Fionail area near Kingussie. The pair, both aged 33 and from the Glasgow area, were taken to safety by the same helicopter crew.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was involved in all three rescues.
Meanwhile, a climber was airlifted to hospital after injuring his shoulder while climbing in Glen Coe on Saturday.
The man was climbing the 3173ft Aonach Eagach, regarded as the most difficult "scrambling" ridge in mainland Scotland. He was taken to the Belford Hospital, Fort William, for treatment.
Members of Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team located the man and Stornoway coastguard helicopter airlifted him to the hospital.
