Man rescued from waterfall ledge

Rescuers used a dinghy to reach the stranded man

A man has been rescued after getting trapped in total darkness on a ledge behind a waterfall near Loch Lomond.

The 31-year-old man had been with a group of friends jumping into water at the foot of the Falls of Falloch.

After one jump - thought to be about 40ft - he surfaced on the wrong side of the waterfall and the alarm was raised.

Specialist water rescue crews joined the search for him. He was eventually found on the ledge and taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Fire crews from two brigades, the police, coastguard, ambulance workers and a Royal Navy rescue helicopter were also involved in operation to free the man, who is from Paisley, after being alerted at 2115 BST.

He was taken from the falls by boat after being found lying about 30ft behind the waterfall, and winched onto the helicopter before being taken to the Southern General hospital in Glasgow.

A coastguard spokesman said: "A dinghy was used to get under the waterfall.

"A member of the rescue party then had to climb up to the injured man and, assisted by the fire and rescue, they then lowered the casualty into the dinghy and made their way to the side of the river where the casualty was assessed by the paramedic from the rescue helicopter."

The falls are a popular destination with thrill-seekers who leap from ledges at the top of the waterfall into a deep pool of water beneath.