Fraser Campbell

Police have named the climber who died in a fall on the North Face of Ben Nevis at the weekend.

Fraser Campbell was near the top of the Long Climb on Britain’s highest mountain when he came off the route on Friday evening.

The 52-year-old, from Clackmannanshire, was climbing with a companion on the route, described by rescuers as the longest in the country, when he fell a considerable distance and died from his injuries.

His fiancée Julie paid tribute to the climber. In a statement issued on behalf of her and Mr Campbell’s wider family, she said: “Fraser was born in Glasgow, but lived most of his life on the north-east coast of England, before moving back to Scotland with his family in June of this year.

“Fraser was my fiancé, my best friend and a wonderful daddy to our little girl. He was kind and had a bubbly personality.

“He radiated enthusiasm and positivity in everything he did, but especially for his two great passions; his family and climbing. He was dearly loved and he will be sorely missed by all his family and friends.”

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team described the operation to bring Mr Campbell’s companion to safety and recover the body from the mountain was one of the most difficult and technical rescues it had ever carried out.

Eighteen Lochaber team members, 13 from the RAF Mountain Rescue Team and the Coastguard helicopter from Inverness took part in the rescue. It involved lowering people 600m (1,969ft) down the North Face in the dark on dangerous loose terrain.

A Lochaber MRT spokesperson said: “The lower from the very summit of Ben Nevis was down the whole of the Orion Face with the rescuer and casualty hanging free for long sections of the lower before reaching the safer ground at the base of Observatory Gully.”

Police Scotland said: “Members of the mountain rescue teams are thanked for their courageous efforts during the rescue, carried out in dark and difficult conditions.”