Highland aristocrat Lord Strathnaver dies in accident at cliffs

A Highland aristocrat has died in a late-night accident at cliffs on the Caithness coast.

Alexander Sutherland, Lord Strathnaver, was heir to the Earldom of Sutherland and an accomplished surfer. He is understood to have died in a fall.

Police said emergency services were made aware of concerns for a 40-year-old man near Thurso Castle just after 23:20 on Saturday.

Thurso lifeboat was among the rescue teams called to the scene.

Tributes have been paid to Lord Strathnaver, who lived in Golspie in Sutherland.

In a social media post, Mark Sutherland-Fisher, president of the Clan Sutherland Society in Scotland, said it was with a very heavy heart he had to inform clan members Lord Strathnaver had died as a result of a tragic accident near Thurso.

He said: "Alexander was not only the heir to the Earldom of Sutherland but a widely popular figure in and around Golspie where most people just knew him as 'Al'."

In another post, Golspie Community Council said the whole community was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic loss.

"On behalf of the community, Golspie Community Council extends our deepest condolences to Alexander's family, his many friends and all who loved him," it said.

In a statement, Police Scotland said: "We were made aware of concern for a 40-year-old man near to Thurso Castle shortly after 23:20 on Saturday, 3 September.

"Emergency services attended but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"His death is being treated as unexplained and inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances."

Thurso RNLI lifeboat was launched at 23:30 to a report of a person on rocks at Thurso East, an area of the coast near Thurso.

Members of the crew gave Lord Strathnaver CPR after reaching the shore in a small inflatable boat.

They also helped an ambulance crew and coastguard officers at the scene.

Lord Strathnaver's ancestral home is Dunrobin Castle, near Golspie.