MORE than 50 people were airlifted to safety last night after their vehicles were cut off by two landslides.

Police said everyone who had been stranded by the extreme weather near the central Scotland village of Lochearnhead, including a number of children, had been located.

Those rescued were taken to Lochearnhead and the nearby village of Killin.

A Royal Navy helicopter was scrambled to the tourist area from Prestwick, after people were trapped in up to 20 vehicles on a road north of Lochearnhead.

The party included a bus that was reportedly carrying Belgian tourists.

The helicopter was sent to the scene by RAF Kinloss, which co-ordinated rescue efforts in the flood disaster at Boscastle, Cornwall.

Michael Mulford, spokes-man for RAF Kinloss, said 57 people were rescued, including babies and children, during the three-hour operation.

Describing the incident, Mr Mulford said: "A landslide cut across them and one behind them. There was a real risk, not from the two that happened, but from the one that might follow."

The helicopter from Prestwick and a search and rescue helicopter from RAF Lossie-mouth were scrambled to the scene shortly after 6pm.

Strathclyde Police later confirmed that the force helicopter was sent to the scene to assist Central Scotland emergency services with the rescue.

Sylvia Black was involved in the clear-up operation at a bed-and-breakfast in Lochearnhead, which suffered some flood damage.

The 56-year-old said: ''It is a disaster. I have never seen anything like it. The water was cascading down the mountains."

Sandra Black, joint owner of the Lochearnhead Hotel, said the area was hit by heavy rain and thunder storms from mid afternoon.

She said: "There seems to have been a convergence of the River Earn and the water coming off the hill."

Central Scotland Police said people were trapped between two landslips on the A85 through Glen Ogle, close to Loch Earn. It also confirmed that a third landslide had occurred at Strathyre.