Body found in search for missing hiker as devastated partner pays tribute to ‘amazing father’

Only Charlie Kelly’s backpack and an orange peel were found in seven weeks before today

Charles Kelly went missing on Septemeber 6 (Police Scotland)

The family of a missing hillwalker feared dead after vanishing in the Scottish Highlands have thanked rescue teams for “bringing him home”.

Charlie Kelly, 56, had left to go on a solo trek in Glen Etive on September 6 almost seven weeks ago.

A frantic search had offered up no traces of Mr Kelly, also known as Charles, except his backpack and an orange peel believed to have belonged to the avid trekker.

Rescuers scour the Highland hills during the search for Mr Kelly (Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team)

The search, hampered by bad weather regularly, involved helicopters, dogs, drones, and ten different mountain rescue teams - including civilians, RAF and police.

The remains are yet to be formally identified, but the family of Charles Kelly have been informed.

His partner Emer Kennedy posted on Facebook: “Unfortunately this isn’t the outcome we had hoped for.

“Charlie was an amazing partner, father, brother, uncle, friend and colleague to us all. We all have amazing memories to share.

“Thank you to Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team and all the other mountain rescue teams, search and rescue dog team, helicopter teams and Police Scotland Highlands and Islands for the huge amount of personal and professional time and effort they put into finding Charlie and bringing him home.

“And for all the family, friends and colleagues who shared posts, messages and kind wishes.”

Charlie is believed to be wearing a black waterproof jacket, grey trousers and a dark green fleece, he was last seen with a pair of walking poles.

He was described as having a distinctive unusual gait due to a hip problem and may have been moving slowly.

In an update on Wednesday, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: “There are no apparent suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.”