A Maltese man who was reported missing at the Sliema police station while trekking in the Scottish Highlands has been found.

The police said yesterday a woman called at the Sliema police station last Saturday to report that her 50-year-old partner called her at 7.45pm and told her he got lost while trekking in the Scottish Highlands. He told her the weather had turned bad and he could not find his way back.

The police immediately informed the Sirene Bureau, which forms part of the Malta Police International Relations Department. The officers there contacted the British authorities and a search for the man was launched.

At about 11pm, the man contacted his partner again from his mobile phone and told her he could hear a helicopter in the distance. The Maltese police gave him the contact number of the headquarters coordinating the rescue operation but soon after were told that the helicopter search had to be called off because of weather conditions. Instead, mountain rescuers were deployed to continue with the search.

The man was found at about 1.20am in good health.