The IT expert went missing in the mountains on Friday

Teams from the Civil Guard's mountain rescue unit have joined firefighters and volunteers in the search for Bill Sutherland, 50, from Tonbridge.

The IT expert went missing on Friday while climbing on his own.

Mr Sutherland, who is described as an "expert climber", was visiting northern Spain with a Welsh climbing club.

Our feeling is that Bill may have lost his footing and fallen Club member Roger Hughes

Bad weather has made the search difficult, with thick mist covering the mountains for much of the time.

A Civil Guard officer said: "After this amount of time there is obviously concern but... we are hoping he has found somewhere to shelter and is staying put there."

Mr Sutherland's brother, David, who flew to Spain after receiving news of the disappearance, described him as an experienced climber.

Speaking to BBC South East on Wednesday, he said: "Bill went out on Friday morning when the weather was quite good but apparently the weather worsened.

"He's been out in those kinds of conditions before in the kind of clothing he was wearing but obviously he wasn't expecting to stay out overnight."

Mr Sutherland was travelling with a party of more than 30 climbers from the Snowdonia based Gwydyr Mountain Club, which he joined when he was living in the Wirral, Liverpool.

Club member Roger Hughes said: "Our feeling is that Bill may have lost his footing and fallen."

He also said that mountain rescue teams would continue their search for another nine days.