The walker got into difficulties after summiting Ben Macdui

Rescuers have praised as heroes two young mountaineers who helped carry a hypothermic walker from a wintry Highland peak after finding him on the hillside.

The man had summited Scotland’s second highest mountain but got into difficulties on the descent in the Cairngorms.

Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was called out and members were joined by instructors from Glenmore Lodge national outdoor training centre in the rescue of the man on Tuesday.

The Inverness Coastguard helicopter was scrambled and was able to airlift rescuers close to the site.

The two mountaineers had helped the walker across several kilometres of the mountain plateau. Rescuers said they ‘half carried’ the hypothermic man into Coire an Lochan where they were met by the team. He had been making his way from Ben Macdui, 5km (3 miles) south of the corrie.

He was given treatment at the scene and then airlifted to hospital by the helicopter crew.

Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team leader Willie Anderson said: “These young mountaineers are the real heroes of today’s rescue.

“It’s a great example of mountaineers helping each other. I guess that’s what we are doing too.”

The rescue on the Cairngorm plateau is the second successful mission in the area in two days. On Monday Bob and Cathy Elmer from Leicestershire and their dog were found cold but otherwise unharmed after spending the night in their emergency survival bags close to the summit of Cairn Gorm.

It was the Cairngorm team’s fourth rescue callout of the year. Team leader said it was ‘getting a wee bit busy’.