A rocky peak has lost its status as a Munro Top after surveyors discovered it is shorter than previously thought.

Knight's Peak in the Cuillins on Skye was thought to be 915m, just above the 914.4m requirement for it to qualify as a Munro Top.

However, a recent survey discovered that it is 914.24m, meaning that it has lost its status.

Munros are mountains over 914.4m (3,000ft) while the Tops are summits over that height which are not regarded as a separate mountain. There are 282 Munros and 509 Tops.

They are named after the mountaineer Sir Hugh Munro who, in 1891, was asked by the editor of the Scottish Mountaineering Club's Journal to list all the hills in Scotland above 3,000ft.

Alistair Milner, height co-ordinator for the Munro Society, said they want to ensure the accuracy of the records by continuing to survey mountains.

He said: "We have to respect Sir Hugh Munro's list of tops, though quite a few were taken off in the 70s.

"We believe he was a real stickler for accuracy, so we are just carrying on where he left really."

The survey team used GPS technology to measure Knight's Peak, a subsidiary of Sgurr nan Gillian on the pinnacle ridge.

It was conducted by G and J Surveys in conjunction with The Scottish Mountaineering Club and The Munro Society.

They said it could be considered the most difficult mountain survey ever conducted in Britain.

Mr Milner does not think the reclassification will have much impact on mountaineers.

He said: "I think rock climbers will still want to do the pinnacle ridge of Sgurr nan Gillean, though one or two people who want to do all the tops might not go to it."