A north community was left “heartbroken” when police searching for a missing 33-year-old found a body on a hillside yesterday.
Teams had been looking for Dornoch man Stuart Campbell around Ben Loyal, in Sutherland, for almost two weeks.
Police said formal identification was still to take place, however, the family of Mr Campbell had been informed of the discovery.
The body was found by Assynt Mountain Rescue Team in the morning, and removed from the area by a Coastguard search and rescue helicopter.
In a tribute online yesterday afternoon, Dornoch Cathedral described the sadness felt in the town.
The message stated: “Our community is heartbroken.
“There are no words right now to soothe or to calm the storm of emotion.
“We have lost a young man who was loved by his family and friends and by the whole community.
“So many joined the search for him and so many more, far and wide, prayed for him and for his mum, for his granny and aunties, and cousins.
“With enormous courage, his family and friends have not only searched, they have hoped and longed and prayed Stuart will come home to where he will always be loved and missed.”
Mr Campbell departed for the beauty spot two weeks ago with police believing he had intended to scale the famed mountain.
After failing to turn up for work on the Monday morning, the alarm was raised.
On Tuesday, July 28, his red Suzuki Swift was found in the car park most used by walkers at the foot of Ben Loyal.
His lack of contact with family was said to be extremely out of character.
Searches involving police, mountain rescue teams, search dogs and a rescue helicopter took place.
Towards the end of the week, the effort focussed on a rocky area on the north side of Ben Loyal
Mr Campbell’s place of work, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, appealed on social media for assistance from the public to locate their “friend and colleague”.
The club’s general manager Neil Hampton last week said Mr Campbell was a “very valued member of staff”.
