The RAF Sea King rescued six people in a busy night in the Highlands

A climber was airlifted to hospital last night after suffering serious injuries in a fall in the Cairngorms.

The 25-year-old was left suspended on his rope for three hours while his climbing companion went for help. The incident was one of three involving the RAF Sea King helicopter from Lossiemouth yesterday.

Police received an emergency call from the man’s climbing partner at about 9pm yesterday, Saturday to say he had fallen about 50 to 70m (165 to 230ft) on Shelter Stone Crag, Carn Etchachan.

Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team went to the man’s aid and the RAF aircraft flew him to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, for treatment to serious leg and spinal injuries.

The Cairngorm team and RAF helicopter were also involved in two rescues earlier in the day.

Two men from Glasgow rang 999 about 5.05pm after getting lost in the Meall Fionail area near Kingussie. The men, both 33, had taken a wrong turn and become disoriented. They were found by the crew of the RAF Lossiemouth helicopter and flown to safety. Neither needed medical attention.

Two hours later, three climbers rang police to say they were having extreme difficulties on The Vent, an ice climb in Coire an Lochain, on Cairn Gorm. The route is a grade III chimney with a difficult chockstone to negotiate.

Two men aged 19 and 51 and a 34-year-old woman were found about 8.45pm and winched to safety.

A police spokesperson said, although the trio were cold, none needed hospital treatment.