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It is the last Wednesday in May and a ����ý news crew prepare for a day's work on Britain's highest mountain - Ben Nevis.

The group is just one of many which will climb the peak 4,413ft (1,345m) in the summer months ahead.

Over the last decade the number of people ascending this Highlands mountain has doubled to 160,000 per year.

Its growing popularity has created challenges for the maintenance of Ben Nevis - and for those whose role is to keep people safe on Scotland's hills.

����ý Scotland correspondent James Shaw and his colleagues set off at midnight for the climb to the summit, before broadcasting live.

They used torches to make the arduous five-hour journey, accompanied by experienced guide Mike Pescod.

Proper planning is vital to minimise the dangers in an environment where conditions can change quickly.

It's also important to keep assessing the risks throughout your journey.

And the advice from experienced climbers is that you should always have alternative plans - and be prepared to turn back if the conditions aren't right.

The reward for those who attempt the ascent are amazing views.

However, the increasing interest in conquering Britain's highest peak does have an impact.

The trails have just undergone a £900,000 revamp to make them more durable.

And more people also means more accidents, which puts more pressure on the mountain rescue teams in the area.

Those risks have been highlighted by a number of fatalities on Ben Nevis over the winter, including the deaths of three climbers from France and Switzerland in an avalanche in March.

Pictures by ����ý news crew. Correspondent James Shaw broadcast live from Ben Nevis on ����ý Breakfast.