A climber has died after falling 50 metres on the UK's highest mountain.

The man was climbing with a friend in the Raeburn's Buttress area of Ben Nevis when he fell around 12.30pm yesterday.

Two helicopters were scrambled to the scene with Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team but the man died during the rescue, Northern Constabulary said.

A force spokesman said officers are trying to establish the exact circumstances around the death and no further information on the man will be issued until his family have been informed.

A report is to be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

Raeburn's Buttress is popular climbing area on the north face of Ben Nevis which stands at 1,344m (4,409 ft).

Last month a 22-year-old climber died after falling 100m on the mountain.

Ben St Joseph, 22, from Essex, suffered fatal injuries after a fall from Tower Ridge on the north-west of the mountain on January 26.