A 180m-long cave, described as "possibly the most beautiful" in Scotland, has been discovered on the west coast by a group of Grampian potholers.

A group of cavers found a small man-sized entrance near Applecross, which they enlarged so they could explore a water-filled passage leading to a series of underground chambers.

Grampian Speleological Group members David Morrison, Ritchie Simpson, Toby Speight and Jane Stewart-Boland found themselves in a huge cave with some of Scotland's most spectacular stalactites.

Mr Morrision said: "This is a significant discovery in the context of Scottish caves and I believe we have probably found the ‘master-cave’ of the area."

He described the the cave as "possibly the most beautifully decorated passage anywhere in Scotland, with stalactites up to 2m long".

Alan Jeffreys, who founded GSG in 1961, said: "The discovery of the Applecross cave marks a significant milestone in the history of Scottish caving and it is fitting that it coincides with our 50th anniversary.

"Over the past fifty years the GSG has played an active role in the exploration and scientific study of Scotland’s natural and manmade underground heritage.

"From the discovery of remains of three bear skeletons at Rana Hole in Sutherland and the remains of bronze and iron age artefacts at High Pasture Cave in Skye, through to the exploration of more recent mines throughout Scotland, the club has played a valuable role in our understanding of what lies beneath our feet."

The cavers have since returned to their new find to photograph and map the site and exploration work continues as the sound of running water can be heard at the end of the cave, promising further discoveries.