A GROUP of 22 ramblers from a rights-of-way group have been rescued from a Scots mountain after a series of emergencies.

Five of them were airlifted from the slopes of 2392ft Ben Venue in the Trossachs and a sixth had to be stretched off the hill.

One man, aged 80, had suffered a stroke, another had head injuries after a fall, and four others were hit by exhaustion.

The other 16 walkers were escorted to safety by two mountain rescue teams after getting stuck on the hill after midnight.

The group - many of them elderly - were on an organised trek with rights-of-way group Scotways.

The seven-hour drama began at 5.30pm yesterday when an elderly man suffered a minor stroke.

The group alerted police and eight members waited with the 80-year-old for help while the other 13 carried on.

A Royal Navy helicopter from HMS Gannet at Prestwick was scrambled and airlifted the man to Glasgow's Southern General Hospital, where he was in a "stable" condition today.

Four of the eight who had waited with him were also airlifted off the hill, suffering from exhaustion.

Around the same time, one of the group of 13 trying to walk down the hill stumbled and fell, suffering head injuries.

The casualty, a 58-year-old woman from Bearsden, was stretched off the hill and taken to Stirling Royal Infirmary.

The drama took place in the picturesque Bealach nam Bo area at Loch Katrine as the party - who had been dropped by the steamer SS Sir Walter Scott at Stronachlacher Pier - were making their way back to the car park at the eastern end of the loch.

Chief Inspector Kevin Findlater, of Callander police, said: "They were on a very popular walking route. However, it can be dangerous if you lose the path or get in to the wrong place.

"The group were 1700ft up the hill, and Lomond Mountain Rescue team were scrambled, with assistance from Killin Mountain Rescue team."