A Maltese man lost while trekking the Scottish Highlands has been found, the police said.

In a statement this afternoon they said the man was reported lost by a woman who went to the Sliema station saying her partner had called her at 7.45pm and told her he got lost while trekking the Highlands.

He told the woman the weather turned bad and he could not find his way back.

The Maltese police contacted the Sirene Bureau, which forms part of the Malta Police International Relations Department, who communicated with the foreign authorities requesting assistance for the Maltese man and a search was launched.

The man again contacted his partner at 11pm telling hear he could hear a helicopter far out.

The Maltese police gave him the number of the headquarters coordinating the search to hasten communications.

Soon after, the Maltese police was informed that the helicopter search had to be called off because of the weather and mountain rescuers were to be sent instead to look for the man.

The man was found at around 1.20am.