The bothy and the swollen Craig River which blocked the walkers' escape. Photo: Royal Navy

The bothy and the swollen Craig River which blocked the walkers' escape. Photo: Royal Navy

A group of walkers and their dog had to be rescued after getting cut off by a fast-flowing river at a remote Torridon bothy.

Three children were among five people and their pet airlifted from the Craig bothy by a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter on Tuesday.

The group found their exit from the site, south-east of Redpoint, blocked when heavy overnight rain meant the river burst its banks and became a raging torrent.

The two men, three children and a dog took shelter in the bothy, once one of the UK’s most remote youth hostels, in the far West of Torridon in Wester Ross.

A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “Although there was a wooden bridge, it was unsafe to cross it in the fast-flowing conditions.

“The Mark 5 Sea King from HMS Gannet in Prestwick was on scene at 10.35am on Tuesday. Heavy rain and force 6 westerly winds, as well as poor visibility, made the approach difficult, but the aircraft achieved a hover close to the bothy.

“Aircrewman Petty Officer Alan ‘Speedy’ Speed was winched to the ground and made a check on the walkers who had returned to the bothy. With all well and no injuries, the Sea King then landed close by and the party walked up to the aircraft.

The group of five being led back to the helicopter across the sodden hillside. Photo: Royal Navy

The group of five being led back to the helicopter across the sodden hillside. Photo: Royal Navy

“The river was in full spate,” Lieutenant Angela Lewis, duty observer, said. “All the people and their dog were absolutely fine, but there was definitely no way they could have crossed.

“As summer weather goes, it was really horrible – windy, rainy and cooler than you would expect at this time of year. And the ground was sodden, which made finding a safe place to land the helicopter a little more interesting.

“We put the aircraft down as close as we could and the group was escorted to it safely by Speedy.

“It was a rapid job and, with no one hurt and no further intervention required, we dropped them at Red Point road where their car was.”

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