Ex-banker falls 1000ft off cliff in fatal Highlands hiking accident

A former banker has died after plunging 1000ft off a cliff in a hillwalking accident in the Highlands.

Daniel Leaf, 55, from Edinburgh, was involved in the accident while on a walking trip on Saturday.

Members of the group he was with called the emergency services after the fall at The Prow on Ben Alder.

The father-of-one was airlifted to hospital by a Navy rescue helicopter, but died from his injuries shortly afterwards.

Mr Leaf was a senior manager at the Bank of Scotland before moving to investment firm Saracen Fund Managers (SFM) in 2011.

A SFM statement said: "Daniel will be remembered as a talented investor, a dedicated member of our team, a good friend and a fine man.

"We will all miss him dearly and our thoughts are with his wife Sandra and son Sam at this sad time."

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "We received a report that a man had fallen in the Highlands around 3pm while he was walking with a party of other people.

"It appears that they saw him falling and it quickly became apparent he had suffered serious injury. A helicopter was dispatched and he was airlifted off the mountain.

“Due to the nature of the fall a mountain rescue team was not required."

Last year saw among the highest number of recorded deaths in the hills for decades, with 12 people losing their lives.

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