Scotland's busiest mountain rescue teams have claimed the emergency services view them as "expendable" in an extraordinary row over a new helicopter contract.

The Glencoe, Tayside, Lochaber and Cairngorm teams issued a joint statement accusing the agencies that oversee search-and rescue operations of an "apparent casual disregard for the safety" of their volunteers.

They claimed the police, coastguard, and the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) have "repeatedly refused to assist teams with the recovery of bodies."

The row centres on a new coastguard helicopter contract awarded by the Department for Transport, which the teams say is leading to a worse service.

In particular they claimed the emergency services have refused to help remove the bodies of those killed on the mountains because the deceased are not "persons in distress."

They also accused the agencies of an "increasing unwillingness" to deploy helicopters in the final phase of rescues, leaving volunteers to descend thousands of feet in darkness or poor weather.

The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) last night said it would attempt to assist if the risk was not considered to be too great, but argued the teams must be able to operate independently of air support.

As snow has started to land on the hills throughout the Highlands, mountain rescue teams have already being called into action.