They are extremely fortunate. It was lucky none of them struck anything while on their way down.

Terry Confield, leader of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team

A helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth and members of Lochaber mountain rescue team reached the men and transferred them to hospital in nearby Fort William.

William Graves and Philip Jackson, both 27 and from London, and Matthew Goodyear, 32, from Edinburgh, were treated for cuts and grazes in hospital in Fort William and discharged.

Rescuers said the three men had a lucky escape.

Terry Confield, leader of the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, said: "They are extremely fortunate. It was lucky none of them struck anything while on their way down."

Lucky escape

A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said: "The snow band started to slip where the climbers were and an avalanche took the party approximately 200 metres down the slope."

He said the men, who had started their climb at 0930BST, had been about two-thirds of the way to the summit when the snow slope started to avalanche.

The spokesman added: "There is no doubt that these men had a very lucky escape indeed.

"Conditions out there can be very dangerous at this time of year when it continually snows and then freezes over."

He went on: "We are advising everyone planning on going to the hills to check weather conditions, including avalanche reports, and to be fully equipped to deal with prevailing weather conditions.

"All climbers and walkers should be aware of their experience, capabilities and limitations and should plan their walks and climbs."

In a separate accident, a fourth climber was airlifted to hospital in Inverness after injuring his leg in the Cairngorms.