The climbers became cragfast on Tower Ridge. Photo: Rozen CC-BY-SA-2.0

Two climbers were winched unscathed from the UK’s highest mountain after spending a night stuck on a ridge.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said it was made aware of the pair’s plight late on Saturday.

The climbers had become cragfast on Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis’s North Face.

A Royal Navy Sea King search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet in Ayrshire flew to the scene but was unable to airlift rescuers to the site because of low cloud.

A Lochaber MRT spokesperson said: “The climbers were very well equipped and it was decided to try again at first light.”

Team members regrouped at 7.30am and the Sea King returned to the scene.

The spokesperson said: “This time the cloud was sufficiently high to allow a successful winch off the mountain.

“Despite a cold night the climbers were in good condition.”