The body of an 84-year-old man who went missing in the Highlands of Scotland last week has been found near the summit of Ben Cruachan.
John Smith, known as Frank, was last seen leaving his hotel in Crianlarich on Thursday morning and his car was found parked in an area used frequently by walkers visiting the 1,126-metre (3,694ft) mountain.
After an extensive search, Police Scotland confirmed his body had been found at about 2.50pm on Tuesday near the summit, and there were no suspicious circumstances.
In a statement on Facebook, his daughter Helen Bang said: “He died with his boots on, walking somewhere that he loved. People must do things that bring them joy. I will miss him for ever, but feel very lucky that he was my dad.”
She added: “We are really touched by the hundreds of messages of support we have received from both friends and strangers.”
She asked anyone wanting to make a donation in his memory to contribute to Oban mountain rescue, which she said made “herculean” efforts to find him.
Smith, from Nottingham, had travelled up to Scotland to see his daughter for the first time in 17 months before setting out to walk in the Highlands. Bang said the family had tried to dissuade him and asked him to check in with them every day, but said he was an experienced walker and regularly did 12-mile walks around Nottingham.
She said her father had run into difficulties when fell-walking with her brother three years ago, when he was helped off the mountain by rescue teams after becoming overly tired.
“For over 20 years he was my mum’s full-time carer and not able to do these walks,” she said.
