A SCOT battled in vain to save his friend who plunged 2000ft in a skiing accident.

Lorne Cameron, 29, dug through snow in an attempt to rescue David Tapsfield, 28, after he skied off a mountain ledge at Mont Buet in the French Alps, triggering an avalanche. Mr Cameron, from Giffnock, was hailed a hero by rescue workers after the tragedy on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the police in Chamonix said: "He was undeniably very courageous. He was the first on the scene to try to rescue his friend. It meant skiing over the avalanche debris and then searching for him with his avalanche transceiver.

"He found him under the snow and pulled him out. The man was taken by helicopter to hospital but sadly he died."