AN investigation has been launched after a body taken to a mortuary showed potential signs of life.

The man, in his forties, had fallen more than 100ft from the Kessock Bridge, Inverness, on Friday night.

He was retrieved from the water by the Kessock lifeboat and then taken to Inverness Marina, where an ambulance crew attempted to revive him.

They were unsuccessful, and the man was certified dead at the scene.

His body was then taken straight to the mortuary without it being examined at the hospital by doctors.

However, during routine checks mortuary staff thought they detected a pulse.

Medical teams rushed to the mortuary at Raigmore Hospital, and paramedics and a crash team immediately started resuscitation efforts.

However, they were unsuccessful, and the man was pronounced dead for a second time.

An investigation is now underway, guided by the procurator-fiscal.

Last night Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon called for the fullest inquiry to be undertaken and the results made public.

She said: "Any death is a tragedy for the family but the circumstances surrounding this death will undoubtedly raise questions as to whether this person could have perhaps survived.

"It is a shocking story for our ambulance service who have the highest level of training and exercise quality care every day of the year.

"It is so shocking because it is so rare to hear of anything like this.

"A very clear explanation must be offered and a very thorough inquiry must be carried out."

The Crown Office confirmed that it was now involved in the case.

A spokesman said: "The investigation into the death, under the direction of Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit, is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments. Both the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS Highland are now conducting internal reviews.

The ambulance service insisted every effort was made at the scene to resuscitate the man, who had been in the water for more than 10 minutes having fallen from a significant height, before he was pronounced dead.

A spokesman said: "Despite active resuscitation being carried out by the ambulance crew with no response, a clinical assessment was undertaken, including ongoing cardiac monitoring, and it was confirmed the patient had died."

NHS Highland confirmed that the alarm was raised when, while checking the body, mortuary staff became concerned there were "potential signs of life."

In a statement, it added: "Despite this, evidence of ongoing signs of life could not be confirmed."

The man, who is thought to live in the Highlands, had not been named last night.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.