Geoffrey Stewart, left, and George Crosbie

A second of three walkers airlifted after spending the night on the Lowther Hills has died.

Geoffrey Stewart, 74, of Dumfries, died in hospital, police said.

George Crosbie, 73, also of Dumfries, died yesterday after being airlifted with his two companions from the hills near Durisdeer. Bobby Thomson, 64, remains in hospital.

Police Scotland said: “The third man from the group is recovering in Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.”

Mr Stewart died late on Wednesday, police said.

The three men were reported missing after failing to return from a walk on hills east of Durisdeer in the Southern Uplands on Tuesday.

A search was mounted by Moffat Mountain Rescue Team on Tuesday evening and suspended at 2am on Wednesday. It resumed later that day, when the Moffat volunteers were joined by colleagues from the Galloway, Tweed Valley and Police Scotland Mountain Rescue Teams.

Members of the Search and Rescue Dogs Association also joined the hunt for the walkers.

The Prestwick Coastguard Sikorsky S-92 rescue helicopter flew to the area and airlifted the men from the hills east of Durisdeer.

Police said the procurator fiscal had been informed.