After two years without a cross, the highest point in Switzerland, the religious symbol has been restored to the 4634m peak of the Dufourspitze.

The previous cross disappeared two years ago. The Zermatt rescue services discovered parts of it at the foot of the south face of the mountain. 

The remains showed no signs of being struck by lightning, so there were suspicions they assumed that the cross had been deliberately destroyed.

Denis Gruber, president of the Zermatt mountain guides, confirmed that Italian and Zermatt guides installed another cross at the top of the mountain on Wednesday of this week.

As well as being the highest peak in Switzerland, the Dufourspitze is the second highest mountain in the Alps after Mont Blanc. It sits on the border of Switzerland and Italy in the Monte Rosa range.