Mr Harrop retrieves the flag

A mountain rescue team member salvaged his country’s pride by scaling a 37m (120-foot) pole.

Lewis Harrop went to the aid of the National Trust for Scotland whose saltire had become stuck at half mast at the scene of one of the nation’s most famous battles. The cable used to hoist the flag up the pole snapped last week, leaving the Cross of St Andrew forlornly half way up the flagpole at the Bannockburn Heritage Centre.

Mr Harrop clambered up the pole to retrieve the flag and bring it back to Earth where his colleagues Niall Mclean and Ian Grey of rope-access firm Geo-Rope, based in Ballachulish, made a quick repair ready for the saltire to be hoisted back into its place at the top of the flagpole, overlooking the site of the 1314 battle.

Property manager Scott McMaster said: “Just as the famous Gael Angus Og, Lord of the Isles came to Robert the Bruce’s side at Bannockburn, it was the turn of three other Highland heroes to do the same almost 700 years later.

“We are very grateful to these generous gents who have saved our saltire, so that it flies again over this historic site.”