The head of the mountain rescue team searching for a couple missing on Ben Nevis has described how finding is becoming more difficult with every fresh snowfall.
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Leader John Stevenson said the conditions have reached a point that it will now be very difficult to find them until there is a thaw.
Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27, failed to return from an ascent of Scotland’s highest peak over Valentines weekend.
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team battled “white-out” conditions on the mountain on Saturday as part of their search for the missing couple from the Bradford area.
Searches have been scaled down this week, with the volunteer members of the team going out in smaller groups on their days off work.
Due to the considerable amount of snow that has fallen since they went missing, it is now very difficult to find any trace of them.
Mr Stevenson said last night: “We have asked all the local guides that take groups on the Ben to keep their eyes open wherever they are and keep looking as and when they are out there.
“Our volunteers have got to go to work during the week. They have made a rota of their days off and they will go out and search in small groups on those days.
“Rescue helicopter 951 from Inverness flew over the Ben and had a look today.
“We are getting more snow showers. Fresh snow is getting dumped over the old snow and it is making it almost impossible to find anyone.
“If they are up there it is highly likely they are buried under snow and it is going to be very difficult to find them until we get a thaw.”
Extensive searches were made of the north face of the mountain, including many popular climbing routes.
The searches were hampered last week by worsening weather and a high risk of avalanches.
Both Ms Slater and Mr Newton’s families continue to be updated on the situation by police, who have urged anyone with information which could help with the search to contact them.
A spokesman for the force said: “Police Scotland continues to receive reports in connection with the ongoing appeal and would continue to ask anyone who has information, no matter how insignificant they may deem it to be, to contact police.”