CLIMBERS and walkers on Scotland's mountains and hills have been warned their lives are at risk if they do not take enough water with them as the heatwave continues.

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland said people are at risk of collapsing and dying from heatstroke if they do not take the precaution.

Temperatures are due to rise as high as 27°C in some parts of the country in the coming days.

The warning comes after the two part-time soldiers training for the SAS died on Saturday on the Brecon Beacons in south Wales. One of the soldiers, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts is thought to have died from dehydration.

The council's mountain safety adviser, Heather Morning, warned that even experienced climbers, such as seasoned Munro baggers, can be caught out by the heat.

She said: "Dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke – which is potentially fatal – are all possibilities in this weather. Climbers and walkers should be aware of the signs to look out for in themselves and their companions."

The most commonly suffered problem for people on mountains in the hot weather is sunburn.

However, the council warned heatstroke is also a risk.

It said people can start to lose more fluid than they are taking in, and as a result the body's core temperature starts to rise and the levels of water and salt in the body begin to fall, causing people to feel sick, faint and sweat heavily.

It advises anyone who sees someone suffering from heat exhaustion to take them to a cool, shaded place and give them water.

Meanwhile, as Scotland continued to bathe under the sun yesterday, office workers relaxed during their lunch hours in Blythswood Square, Glasgow, and in other popular areas such as St Andrew Square and the botanic gardens in Edinburgh.

Some councils have drafted in extra staff to clear up a mountain of litter expected to be left by thousands of sunbathers heading to beaches. South Ayrshire reported that in the first two weeks of the month there were 34.86 tonnes of litter collected along the shores in Prestwick and Ayr, an 80% rise on March 3 to March 17.

Mike Newall, South Ayrshire Council's head of neighbourhood services, said the council doubled staffing levels at Ayr, Prestwick and Troon and increased working hours there and in Girvan during good weather.

Elsewhere, 18 tonnes of rubbish were collected from Portobello Beach in a week and a half by Edinburgh City Council.

Suzanne Roberts, Campaigns Co-ordinator at Keep Scotland Beautiful, warned: "Beach litter is severely damaging, not just because of the impression it leaves on domestic and foreign visitors, but because it is lethal for our coastal wildlife and costs millions of pounds every year to clear up."

l About 40 firefighters were last night dealing with a fire which broke out in woodland in Fife. Nine fire engines and a control unit were attending the deep seated grass fire in the Tentsmuir Forest near Tayport. It covered an area 300m by 200m. A request was made for a helicopter to tackle it.