A CLIMBER from Middlewich survived a 500ft fall on a treacherous slope of the 4,084ft Cairngorms in Scotland.

Ray Newby, of Fairacre Drive, was rescued on Saturday morning after plunging from the Central Gully of Coire an t'Sneachda.

He was taken from the mountain by RAF Lossiemouth in a Sea King helicopter and airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Ray, 31, a computer consultant who lives with his partner, Lorna Cuttle, in Middlewich, was descending at the time of the fall and suffered a fractured elbow and leg and back injuries.

Weather conditions were said to be atrocious in the Cairngorms on Saturday. Aberdeen Met Office recorded wind speeds of 70mph and the windchill was around -24 degrees Celsius.

Inverness police spokeswoman, Liz Goskirk, described the rescue operation.

She said: "At around 11am on Saturday police at Aviemore were informed that a male climber had fallen and sustained back injuries at the Central Gully of Coire an t'Sneachda.

"He was assisted at the scene by members of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team who were training nearby.

"Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team and RAF Leuchars Mountain Rescue Team were also alerted.

"An RAF helicopter was summoned and the casualty was airlifted from the locus to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness for treatment."

Mr Newby was said to be in a comfortable condition in hospital yesterday, Tuesday.

His partner Lorna, said: "It's been very upsetting for us. Ray is recovering and some of his family are up there with him.

"It's just a matter of waiting to see when the hospital will let him out."

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