This is an amazing story of survival. Adam Potter, of Glasgow, fell 1000ft from a Scottish mountain at the weekend – and then stood up to greet his rescuers. No-one would have believed him if it wasn’t for the trail of snagged kit seen on several rocky outcrops high above him.

Thirty six-year-old Adam lost his footing at the summit of Sgurr Choinnich Mor, close to the UK’s highest peak of Ben Nevis, and fell down the near-vertical eastern slope.

A helicopter, from HMS Gannet in Prestwick, Ayrshire, was already airborne on a training exercise when it was scrambled to the scene at the weekend.

Rescuers said they couldn’t believe that Adam, who has been walking with friends, was not only alive, but he was standing up and reading a map when they winched a paramedic down to check him over. It’s reported that he suffered a fractured back, as well as scratches and bruises, but he was still able to walk. He is being treated at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital.

Lt Tim Barker, from the helicopter rescue crew, is reported as saying: “It seemed impossible… he must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell… We honestly thought it couldn’t have been him, as he was on his feet, reading a map. Above him was a series of three high craggy outcrops.

“We retraced our path back up the mountain and, sure enough, there were bits of his kit in a vertical line all the way up where he had obviously lost them during the fall. It was quite incredible. He must have literally glanced off the outcrops as he fell, almost flying.”

That’s one lucky, lucky walker.