RESCUERS said today an elderly woman, lost overnight on a Scots mountain after scattering the ashes of her late husband, was lucky to be alive.

The 73-year-old from Ayrshire, who spent the night on Schiehallion, west of Pitlochry, sparked a major rescue operation.

She and her son became separated on Sunday while walking down from the summit of the 3500ft mountain, where they had scattered the husband's ashes.

Her son raised the alarm with Tayside Police and a search and rescue team was sent to the area, helped by helicopter crews from RAF Leuchars and Lossiemouth.

The search continued into the night but the teams were forced to stop because of bad weather.

Searchers feared the woman might not have survived the night.

But just as the search resumed shortly after 9am yesterday she walked into Kinloch Rannoch Medical Centre, fit and well, as reported in later editions of last night's Evening Times.

Police and rescue workers said the episode highlighted the dangers posed by not preparing properly before tackling mountain walks.

The woman and her son - who have not been named -did not have any maps, torches or navigational equipment.

Roger Clare, from Tayside Mountain Rescue, said the woman was lucky to be alive after the 19-hour ordeal.

"We're very pleased - given her age and the conditions that night, we feared the worst. It's fantastic to know she just walked into a doctor's," he added.