RESCUERS searching for an off-duty soldier who went missing in the Ben More area found a body yesterday.

Central Scotland Police, two rescue teams and the RAF, using Sea King helicopters, took part in the two-day search after the 36-year-old man was reported overdue on Saturday night by his girlfriend.

He had failed to return home from walking near Crianlarich, Perthshire. A car belonging to the man - who is understood to be from Edinburgh - was later found on the A85 near Ben More.

Dozens of searchers from Lomond and Ochil mountain rescue teams carried out the search.

The man is understood to be an off-duty soldier from the Royal Regiment of Scotland who is based south of the border. An Army source said: "We are aware of the situation. The operation was being led by Central Scotland Police.

"We are trying to get hold of next of kin and when that is done the police will issue the details."

An RAF source added: "There was no early indication of whether it had been a fall or if he had taken ill.

"These are things that a postmortem will help establish."

Lothian and Borders Police, which co-ordinated the search, said rescuers found the body of what is thought to be a man in the area yesterday afternoon.

"There are no suspicious circumstances at this stage, " a force spokesman said.

Ben More - which means Big Mountain in Gaelic and is 3850ft high - is known to be a challenging winter walking destination.