The search for a missing man, thought to have fallen through ice on a loch, has been called off for the night, according to the fire service.

Emergency service crews including rescue helicopters were called to the remote Lurg Loch in the Cleish area of Perthshire at 3pm yesterday.

A full Scottish Fire and Rescue Service water rescue team and supporting personnel were called to the scene along with fire crews from Perth, Dundee, Kinross and Lochgelly as well as police, ambulance and two search and rescue helicopters.

Emergency services personnel had to go on foot to the loch as it was situated some distance away from the road.

Firefighters broke up the ice to access the loch with sleds and rescue boats while downdraft from the helicopters was also used to break thick ice.

Despite working for several hours in cold conditions the man was not found. The fire service and divers from police underwater search teams were called off at midnight.

A spokesman from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were quickly able to mobilise specialist resources including a full water rescue team and two SFRS boats to this incident.

"This was a remote location with the loch some way from the roadside and firefighters were only able to reach the incident carrying specialist equipment on foot.

"Helicopters at the scene were used to assist with breaking up the ice alongside fire crews using hooks to break the surface.

"This appears to be a tragic incident but every effort is being made to locate the man with a full multi-agency response including the SFRS, police, ambulance crews, search and rescue helicopters and underwater police search teams."