Hillwalker is rescued amid thunderstorm

RESCUERS have questioned the wisdom of a hillwalker who got stuck on a mountain during a thunderstorm.

- By Mike Merritt

The conditions meant a helicopter sent out to find her was at risk of being struck by lightning.

The woman, who is in her 30s and whose name has not been revealed, was about 2,600ft up Choire Etchachan in the Cairngorms on Thursday with a companion.

Rescuers said they were surprised the woman had ventured out in such conditions.

Fifteen members of Braemar Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) turned out to the incident.

Yesterday, operations manager Malcolm MacIntyre explained what they faced.

He said: "The thunderstorms meant it was not looking likely the Coastguard helicopter from Inverness would be able to get to her, so the team were deployed.