POLICE have handed out fines to climbers after they broke stay at home orders to scale Ben Nevis.

The two men were rescued from the mountain in a multi-team operation after travelling more than 100 miles from Glasgow to Fort William in the Highlands on Saturday.

The pair got into difficulty in Minus Two Gully and police were alerted at about 4.15pm.

The rescue 151 team from Lochaber mountain rescue team were called in to assist with the rescue, which lasted for about an hour and a half.

ALMOST! We thought we were heading for our first ever (!) callout-free January but just like buses, two came along at...

Posted by Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team on Sunday, 31 January 2021

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We received a report around 4.15pm on Saturday, January 30, of two climbers in difficulty on Ben Nevis.

"Members of the local mountain rescue and coastguard teams attended, including air support, and both the men were recovered safely around 5.45pm.

"There were no injuries and both were issued with fixed penalty notices for breaching coronavirus regulations."