THE search for a missing hillwalker has been called off after rescuers discovered his body on the lower slopes of a mountain in the Highlands as a number of avalanche warnings were issued.

Charlie Clift, 56, had last been seen on January 30 buying outdoor equipment in Fort William before an extensive search operation was launched. He is thought to have been hiking across the country.

Mr Clift, from south Wales was discovered at 11am on Saturday morning by Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team on the lower north slopes of Meall Nan Cleireach where there is a “considerable risk”of an avalanche.

The discovery comes a year to the week since a series of accidents claimed the lives of four climbers in the space of days.

Climbing experts fear the slightly warmer conditions due over the coming days could made conditions more treacherous than usual for hillwalkers and climbers, with similar warnings in place for Glencoe, Lochaber and the Northern and Southern Cairngorms.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said on its Facebook page: “The team were out yesterday searching for the missing person, Charlie Clift.

“Unfortunately we recovered a body which has just been confirmed as that of Charlie. We would like to pass on our condolences to his family.”

There have also been a number of avalanche warnings set at “considerable risk” across the areas of Creag Meagaidh, Glencoe, Lochaber and the Northern and Southern Cairngorms.

According to the Scottish Avalanche Information Services, the warning means that natural avalanches may occur and a single person load is likely to trigger an avalanche on some slopes.

It advised the public to check conditions on their website before venturing into the hills, saying “good visibility and route finding in mountain terrain is important, as is experience in avalanche hazard evaluation”.

Last weekend, one man was airlifted to safety after an avalanche at the Garbh Choire, Braeriach, in the Cairngorms. On the same day, three climbers were injured in an avalanche on Ben Nevis.

There have already been 24 reported avalanches in the past month – including one in the last 48 hours — according to SAIS.

Over the course of one week, exactly a year ago, climbers Rachel Slater, 24, and Tim Newton, 27 from Bradford, West Yorkshire, were reported missing after failing to return from a climb on Ben Nevis. Their bodies were not discovered for five weeks.

Adrian Bankart, from Derbyshire, was climbing with a partner just days later on Creag Meagaidh when an avalanche occurred. He was airlifted off the mountain but later died in hospital.

The Met Office’s Filotas Paschos said the mercury is expected to rise into the high single figures today.

He said: “Towards the western highlands it’s going to be much more dry and bright and the north west will be quite sunny.

“But we expect quite windy conditions over higher ground, with strong gusts and gale force winds especially across the highest peaks.”