Legendary Scottish mountaineer and inventor Hamish MacInnes has died at the age of 90.

Dr MacInnes, who was known as the 'father of Scottish mountaineering', climbed the Matterhorn in the Alps at just 16 years old.

He was born in Gatehouse of Fleet, and celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year.

He is said to have died at his home in Glen Coe on Sunday.

READ MORE: The remarkable legacy of Scotland’s ‘Father of Mountaineering’ as he reaches 90

The adventurer is recognised as having developed modern mountain rescue in Scotland, setting up the Search and Rescue Dog Association and the Avalanche Information Service, and inventing the MacInnes stretcher, which is used for rescues worldwide.

Last year, he became the subject of a documentary, The Final Ascent, narrated by Michael Palin and the two became close friends. The mountaineer told how he willed himself back to health after a difficult few years when he was sectioned and lost his memory.

Tributes have flooded in for the climber from across Scotland.

HeraldScotland:

David Pratt said: "Saddened to hear of the death of mountaineering legend Hamish MacInnes who I had the great privilege to know.

"A giant of the climbing world has gone but his groundbreaking work on mountain rescue techniques lives on. Here’s to you Hamish."

Spokespeople for the Kendal Mountain Literature Festival paid tribute on Twitter.

A post read: "We were saddened by the death of Jan Morris last week, and yet more sad news reaches us today that the great Hamish MacInnes has died.

"A remarkable mountaineer, gear innovator and writer. We'll be raising a glass to him this evening."