WEATHER conditions will determine when rescuers resume their search for a hillwalker who has been missing since Thursday.

Police and rescuers say an "accumulation of snow" has forced search teams to call off their search for Neil Gibson, 63 after his brother Alan, 56, understood to be from County Durham, was found on Saturday.

The pair failed to return from a walk in Strathcarron, Wester Ross, on Thursday.

Alan Gibson's body was found by mountain rescue teams in the Achnashellach area.

But efforts to find his brother ended at around 4pm on Sunday over safety concerns and "horrendous" conditions.

Torridon Mountain Rescue Team leader Arjan Hendriks said: "We've been out for a full three days.

"Today's conditions were absolutely horrendous. It was fairly nice in the morning, then at 11am it turned to sleet and strong winds, so visibility was zero.

"We deemed it unsafe."

Police Scotland confirmed rescue operation will not continue until Tuesday after an accumulation of snow hampered efforts to find the missing brother.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: "The search was called off because of the accumulation of snow.

"They will obviously be looking at it again tomorrow.

"There is no timescale at the moment, it will be dependent on the weather conditions."

Forecasters at the Met Office predicted heavy hail and snow showers for the north-west Highlands on Monday, with a "high likelihood" of gales, blizzards, poor visibility and a severe chill effect across the mountains.

The Scottish Avalanche Information Service has warned of a "considerable" risk of snow slips in the area.

Dundonnell Mountain Rescue Team, a Coastguard rescue helicopter and the Search and Rescue Dog Association have also been involved in searching the area.

The brothers were reported missing when they failed to return from the walk on Thursday after setting out at 7.45am that morning.

The pair, who had a black Pointer dog called Archie with them, had been planning to walk in the Achnashellach area.

Anyone with information is asked to call police quoting, reference 4089 of February 8.