A health board is working with the mountain rescue teams to prepare them to deal better with climbers' injuries, in an attempt to save more lives on Scotland's mountains.

An analysis of statistics by an NHS Highland public health expert and a statistician from Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) , the co-ordination body for the mountain rescue teams, shows the number of mountaineering injuries have increased year on year

NHS Highland's area sees the highest number of incident responses as it covers four of the busiest teams in the country: Lochaber; Glencoe; Arrochar; and the Cairngorms.

Public health consultant Cameron Stark said: "Such collaborative working is vitally important, particularly as our findings indicate that there has been an increase in workload over many years combined with the increasing number of summer hill walking injuries, and reflect the changing nature of mountain activities and participants."

"By collecting data from previous years, we can help prepare the volunteers of the SMR, some of whom are NHS Highland staff , for the work that they do and what they can expect to find in terms of types of injuries and incidents."

He improved training and preparation would ensure the teams had the best possible chance of saving more lives each year on Scotland's mountains.

Dr Stark continued: "There has been a 45% increase in the total number of persons helped in annual incidents in the last decade. Many incidents happen at the beginning and end of the summer season - when hill walkers may be caught out by conditions they don't expect. Factors such as these mean that we have to continue to educate people how to reduce the risks involved in mountaineering and outdoor activities."