Climbers rescued from Ben Lomond then charged with Covid rules breach

Two women have been charged with breaching Covid regulations after they had to be rescued while climbing Ben Lomond.

The pair, who are in their 20s, travelled from the Fife area to climb the Munro on Saturday.

They had to call Lomond Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) for help after they got into difficulty as they descended the hill in deteriorating weather conditions.

Police said the women have been charged in connection with culpable and reckless conduct.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers were called to assist mountain rescue partners on Ben Lomond at around 2pm on Saturday January 23 after two female walkers requested assistance to descend the hill in deteriorating weather conditions.

“The women were assisted and walked off the hill, and were both uninjured.

“They have been charged in connection with culpable and reckless conduct.”

Current Covid-19 restrictions mean it is illegal to travel into or out of council areas in Levels 3 or 4 without a valid exemption.

Lomond MRT said they were called out to help two walkers near the summit who needed help on Saturday.

They tweeted: “All safely returned to the foot of the mountain by 18.30.”

It comes after two women were arrested and charged after police broke up a crowd of around 40 in Dundee’s City Square last weekend.

At least seven police officers in masks and disposable gloves physically removed a 74-year-old and a 52-year-old after the incident on Saturday lunchtime.

Officers later charged the 74-year-old woman with breach of coronavirus regulations and the 52-year-old woman with culpable and reckless conduct.

In London, more than £15,000 in fines were handed out at the weekend after police shut down an illegal rave attended by more than 300 people in east London.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police attended a venue under a railway arch on Nursery Road in Hackney in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Loud music was heard coming from inside the venue and a significant number of people were found packed inside the small space.

Dozens of ravers attempted to flee following the arrival of the police, scaling fences at the rear of the arch while others forced open a gate to get away from officers.

Police dogs and a helicopter were deployed.