Shame of litter louts spoiling Ben Nevis

It is almost beyond belief in this day and age that so many people take themselves onto the wonderful, wild slopes of Ben Nevis only to discard their litter in what should be a pristine environment.

As we report this week, a team of volunteers has collected an astonishing 170kgs of rubbish from the Ben.

What is more, the variety of items gathered from the mountain is surprising to say the least. The clean-up squad picked up such diverse detritus as T-shirts, longjohns, a beach shelter, half a boot, a smashed Christmas bauble and an unused military flare.

As organiser Rich Pyne correctly said, if each person venturing onto Ben Nevis took away one piece of litter, the mountain would be pristine again in 18 months.

We all have a duty to do our bit to protect our wild places, including our mountain ranges. We would urge everyone not only to take home their own litter but also to pick up one other item.