Friends of a climber who died when he plunged 600ft down a Highland mountain will deliver a specially adapted 4×4 vehicle built in his memory to the local mountain rescue team at the weekend.
The Land Rover has been named “The Bowden” after Shaun Bowden, of Ware, Hertfordshire, who died on 3,773ft Bidean nam Bian – the highest peak in the Glencoe area of Lochaber – in March last year.
And it will be used to help Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team reach others who get into trouble in the hills.
Mr Bowden was part of a five-strong group descending from the summit when the weather conditions worsened and he lost his footing on ice and fell, resisting the temptation to grab his companions as he fell.
The 39-year-old married father-of-two’s body was later located by the Glencoe team.
Fundraising for the rescue vehicle has been organised by Bobby Willis, 35, of London, who had been climbing with Mr Bowden when he fell to his death.
And the final event of their fundraising campaign was the Bowden Big Weekender – a 4×4 rally from Birmingham to the team’s base in Glencoe – in October of this year.
Mr Willis today said he was delighted that the vehicle, which has cost about £28,000, was now ready to be handed over on Sunday.
He said: “I donated one of my Land Rovers for conversion as it was the last vehicle Shaun rode in before the accident and it was perfect for the job.
“I’m very excited and can’t wait to drive it up to Glencoe. It’s got all the mountain rescue stickers on it now and “Bowden” on the bonnet.
“I really like the idea that a vehicle with Shaun’s name on it will be running around saving lives.”
The Land Rover has 12 seats and can carry a stretcher. It also has a top box to carry the team’s kit.
Mr Willis and friends will also hand over a cheque for £1,300 to the mountain rescue team.
Lewis Harrop, who is one of the Glencoe team’s deputy leaders, said: “We are a very grateful.
“They have put in a tremendous effort to raise this amount of money and the Land Rover will be a great asset to the team.
“We’ve got a 4×4, but this one has more seats so it will enable us to get more people out to some of our more remote areas.”