A pensioner was fighting for his life in hospital today after spending 20 hours stuck on a barbed wire fence in the Scottish Higlands as temperatures fell to minus 7C.

Willie Fraser, 83, became snagged on the fence near to the 18th tee of Torvean Golf Course in Inverness on Tuesday afternoon.

He spent one of the coldest nights of winter outside before being spotted by a group of golfers at 11am yesterday. The alarm was raised and Mr Fraser was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital suffering from extreme hypothermia.

Today an NHS Highland spokesman said the pensioner was in a critical condition.

Although the fence on which Mr Fraser became stuck is less than 150 yards from the main Inverness to Fort William road it lies in a hollow. Kevin Malner, golfing development manager at the course, said that there would have been "very few" golfers in the area.

An ambulance spokeswoman said the widower, who lives on his own close to the golf course, was very cold but surprisingly alert when he was found.

"He reported that he had been there since 3pm the day before," she said.

Rena Murray, 49, one of Mr Fraser’s neighbours, said he was a well-known and popular member of the local community.

"Willie likes to go for his walks around the golf course and all the golfers would know him," she said.

"He used to enjoy taking his dog for walks but since his dog died he has been going out on his own. Willie is a very helpful man, he always takes in all the neighbours’ bins for them. Everyone is hoping he makes a full recovery," she said.

A PA WeatherCentre spokesman said temperatures in the area had fallen to minus 7C overnight on Tuesday. "That is a cold temperature for anyone to be out in," he added.

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