After sitting on the hillside for more than an hour and refusing assistance from other walkers, they rang the emergency services.

They ran out of bottle for some reason and got on the mobile. I have not experienced this sort of thing for a long time

Terry Confield

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team was called out and a Sea King rescue helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth 90 miles away was sent to the 4,406ft-high mountain.

The women were landed at Fort William, embarrassed but otherwise uninjured by their ordeal, and determined that their names were not released by police.

Terry Confield the leader of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said: "The winchman must have had amazing powers of persuasion to get them to be winched up if they were so frightened just sitting on the track.

"They did not mind walking up the track but when they turned to come back it was a different story.

'Friendly chat'

"They became scared and cold at a height of about 3,700ft. Basically they ran out of bottle for some reason and got on the mobile. I have not experienced this sort of thing for a long time.

"I was watching the track through the binoculars and I couldn't believe it.

"There were walkers were going up and down past the three girls, but for some reason they apparently declined assistance.

The RAF helicopter was in the air for two hours

"Unfortunately it was their first time climbing any mountain, and some people have a phobia when they turn and try to come down."

The winchman, Flight Sergeant Gary Forsyth said: "They were frightened to continue down the path and frightened of going in the helicopter.

"I chatted to them in a friendly fashion and told them that going up in the aircraft it was the best option in case they slipped and fell.

"I told them I was quite happy to fly in the helicopter and that it was perfectly safe and although they were very uncertain they eventually agreed."

'Taxi service'

The Lochaber team's deputy leader, John Stevenson, said mobile phones were becoming a way of ringing a taxi service on Ben Nevis.

Mr Confield added that the women were reasonably well-equipped for a summer's day, but if the weather had worsened they would have been in deep trouble because they did not have waterproofs.

Three members of the Lochaber team were called out and the RAF helicopter was in the air for about two hours.

Chief Inspector John Gourlay said: "It is a feature of that particular track that many people do not realise just how high and exposed it really is and they occasionally cannot move for fear.

"That is why we are trying to stop referring to the Ben Nevis route as the 'tourist path' as it is particularly inappropriate for such terrain which is very steep and exposed."