A rescue team lost a drone in high winds during their search for a missing climber on Ben Nevis.

The Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team deployed the UAV after they accidentally triggered an avalanche near the Observatory Gully on Monday.

The drone was quickly lost and further searches for the hillwalker, who disappeared on Sunday, have been called off until conditions improve.

A spokesman for Lochaber MRT said: "The search on day two was hampered by very high winds and low cloud.

"Despite conditions being well outside the operational capability of UAVs, it was decided that it was safer to try and search the area using a UAV.

"Unfortunately, the conditions proved to be well outside its operational capability and resulted in the UAV to be lost.

"Expensive, but better that than the life of a rescuer."

The search was launched on Sunday after three climbers got into difficulty on the summit of Ben Nevis, the UK's tallest mountain.

Two members of the group were picked up by a coastguard helicopter after Lochaber MRT carried them halfway down.

However, the team was forced to call off the search for the third man after darkness descended.

He is believed to have fallen into the Observatory Gully through an overhanging ledge of snow.

The spokesman added: "Today the forecast of 90mph winds at sea level and storm force winds on the mountain with continued high avalanche risk mean that the team have reluctantly decided to delay restarting the search.

"As soon as we get a window in the weather then we will resume.

"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing person and we are sorry we cannot do any more than we have already done."

Lochaber MRT previously used a drone to search for a missing couple killed in an avalanche on Ben Nevis in 2016.