Sgurr nan Gillean. Photo: Iain Gillespie

A 12-year-old boy is seriously ill in hospital after a fall on a Scottish mountain.

The boy, from Sussex, fell between 15 and 30m (50 to 100ft) while on Sgurr nan Gillean, in the Cuillin on Skye. The alarm was raised at 1.45pm on Monday. Members of the Skye Mountain Rescue Team went to the walker’s aid, and a Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway airlifted the boy to hospital in Broadford, Skye.

A spokesperson for the Northern Constabulary said: “Following initial treatment, he was subsequently airlifted to the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, suffering from serious injuries.”

The incident happened on the mountain’s south-east ridge when the boy, who was with a party on the peak, sustained a head injury after being hit by a falling rock.

Sgurr nan Gillean is one of 11 munros in the Cuillin ridge, and rises to 964m (3,162 ft). The mountain overlooks Sligachan, where 11 people had to be rescued on Sunday when torrential rain caused burns to rise, cutting the walkers off. Many of the routes on the mountain are scrambling routes, and rockfalls are common.

Police said no further details of the boy would be released.